I'm a loner, Dottie...

That quote was for Miss Little Sister... but if you can guess the name of the movie it came from, you get 5 brownie points. 

I'm someone who can spend hours and hours alone and not really feel the pangs of loneliness. Don't get me wrong, I get lonely every once in a while, as humans do, but when it comes to spending time alone on weekends, at night, or especially at lunch- I cherish that alone time.

Living in a city, as anyone can attest, you really discover if you're someone who abhors being alone or if you're someone who loves to be alone. I'm more of the latter. Of course, given an opportunity to go out with friends and enjoy their company, I usually say yes, as I'd never turn them down to enjoy my own company (I'm not that narcissistic.)

Bringing me to my point: I ate lunch alone at Bryant Park today, on a whim, really. Grabbed my usual chopped salad, and instead of going back to my desk, I found myself walking towards Bryant Park. I managed to find a seat outside Bryant Park Grill. I happily opened my salad, started eating it, and after looking around, I realized I'm not the only person who loves to be alone.

[Sidenote: My mom finds this characteristic of mine absolutely crazy. Being a mother, I think she gets those flashbacks of 80s movies where kids were teased at school and wound up sitting alone, by no choice of their own... but no fear, mom! I did this on my own!]

There were dozens of people outside today- most of them in pairs, with coworkers, significant others, friends, family members. Then there were those other loners, like myself, enjoying their own company. Albeit, some of those people, myself included, were on their phones- maybe checking Twitter, reading People.com (Guilty-did you know America Ferrera got married?!) or reviewing Emails.

Even though I always knew that craving alone time didn't make me weird, it made me breathe a little easier knowing that other people were choosing to eat their lunch with the company of just their own mind, also. It makes coming back to work a little bit easier, after spending about an hour not talking or having to listen to anyone- it almost re-charges you in a way that a cat-nap does.

Try having lunch alone some time and let me know what you think: you may be one of those people who enjoys that alone time, or someone who prefers the company of others. But, if you ask me to lunch tomorrow with you, I'd join you with a smile on my face.

xo