In “Goodbye to All That”, Joan Didion writes about New York—New York as a city with an emphasized dream-like quality for a young woman who is relentlessly exploring its streets, its bridges, and its people.
"Joan also mentions trying to meet “new faces”. I never wanted to meet any new faces. What I enjoyed the most were fleeting interactions with strangers, and in most cases, they were older people." Oh, how I can relate to this. Most of tbe time people who ask you of your travels sounds so abashed or confused when you tell them you didn't make any friends. It happened to me.
I really love your observations. As an introverted, really seeing what's out there it's "difficult". How did you develped it as an introverted yourself? I wonder what were those relationships you made and than later you felt so ashamed of.
Thank you for your thoughts! I don't really have an answer. I was sometimes more enthusiastic about meeting new people and forming relationships, at sometimes, much less. In this specific time period, I was tired after school, tired of people, and wanted to focus on myself, and a new city (a dream city!) was a perfect opportunity. It gave me everything that I needed. About those relationships — let's just say I didn't have people who shared similar interests to mine close to me and was surrounded by those who saw the world in a completely different way. So it was hard to be myself; I felt disoriented and out of place.
"Joan also mentions trying to meet “new faces”. I never wanted to meet any new faces. What I enjoyed the most were fleeting interactions with strangers, and in most cases, they were older people." Oh, how I can relate to this. Most of tbe time people who ask you of your travels sounds so abashed or confused when you tell them you didn't make any friends. It happened to me.
I really love your observations. As an introverted, really seeing what's out there it's "difficult". How did you develped it as an introverted yourself? I wonder what were those relationships you made and than later you felt so ashamed of.
Thank you for your thoughts! I don't really have an answer. I was sometimes more enthusiastic about meeting new people and forming relationships, at sometimes, much less. In this specific time period, I was tired after school, tired of people, and wanted to focus on myself, and a new city (a dream city!) was a perfect opportunity. It gave me everything that I needed. About those relationships — let's just say I didn't have people who shared similar interests to mine close to me and was surrounded by those who saw the world in a completely different way. So it was hard to be myself; I felt disoriented and out of place.
Oh!! I understand the feeling. Sometimes we do it for survival, perhaps?
Thank you for reading!