My imagination feels like a real person to me. When I’m alone, she keeps me company. We have lots of fun together, me and my Imagination.
With today’s post, I’d like to take you on a journey through an imaginary world where introverts rule supreme. It’s a short and sweet fairytale that I hope will add a little magic to your day. Enjoy.
If Introverts Ruled The World (A Fairytale)
Long ago, in a land not so far away, there lived a girl named Inis. Inis was six years old and small, and she liked it that way. It was the ideal age to get into tiny spaces adults were too large to pass through. It was the perfect age to be invisible.
Inis could curl up in corners and read for hours. Or frolic through her backyard – which was really an enchanted forrest, or a secret fairy garden, or a majestic ice kingdom, depending on how she felt that day. The imaginary kingdoms Inis created all had a few things in common:
In the Land of Inis Slowdon – whether that was a land of dwarves and dragons, or ice princesses and peasants, or giant wizards as tall as trees – words were carefully chosen, and spoken with care.
Play did not have to be loud or enthusiastic. All the inhabitants in the land understood that the best games were created and played in one’s imagination. You could sit in silence while your mind did the moving.
Under Inis’s rule, conflict was resolved quietly. Arguments were drawn in crayon, or scented markers. This meant that no one ever had to raise their voice. Unless you drew very quickly, you could not draw fast enough to say something you would regret. If you were tempted to lose your temper, you’d simply take a long whiff of grape scented marker and forget all about what had been bothering you.
Exploration was the primary and most well respected occupation of the Land of Inis. Whether your explorations took you through the pages of a thick book, a forrest, or your own infinite imagination, the journey was sacred, the boons priceless. Exploring made the kingdom evermore colorful, real, and true.
In the Land of Inis, two was the perfect number for most activities. Two could go to the movies and easily find seats side-by-side. Two went on trips and did not waste time standing in a mob trying to figure out which museum to go to first. A pair was perfect for skating and skiing and running and jumping. Two-by-two people played squash, and ate double scoops of bubblegum ice cream (but not at the same time because that would make them sick).
Two was trumped only by the number one, which was the happiest number of all. Inis remembered some misguided adult once saying that one was the loneliest number that he ever knew. She never understood his logic.
One meant alone, and alone meant quiet, and quiet meant Imagination, Creation, and Magic. Taking long afternoon naps was also best done alone. Even at six, Inis knew that many a bad decision could be prevented by a midday snooze.
Life moved at a slower pace in the Land of Inis. The people took their time preparing and eating their meals. Reading was done slowly, too. People savoured words as readily as they did the most lovingly prepared dinner. Everyone knew that life was more delicious when enjoyed one small bite at a time.
The castles, hovels, and even the rabbit holes of the Land of Inis all shared one thing in common: They had built-in crevices, corners, and nooks where one could wedge oneself in solitude. The inhabitants understood that when a person went to such a place, they wanted quiet. And quiet they would have. No one interrupted you if you were enjoying a slice of solitude – except, perhaps, to say that dinner was ready, or Santa Claus and his reindeer were on the roof.
Indeed, the Land of Inis was an enchanting place. For now, it only existed inside Inis’s imagination. And that, Inis knew, was okay, because inside her head was her favorite place to be. She would always be ruler of her imaginary worlds. And she would rule well.
Xo,
Lovely article!
I very much love being at home with my house rabbits. They enter the fairyland, in fact they are very much part of it and so I never feel alone. I always felt slightly guilty when not feeling like a sad person when people exclaimed how sad it must be to live on your own. I love it and think it is sad to have that non stop babble of sound when other people live with you and want you to enter their restless world of need. Their need to be listened to all the time, makes me feel so tired.
I know exactly what you mean, Setarah. I love living alone, too. It’s almost like being able to create your own perfect little world. It’s a treat to be absolute ruler of one’s own home! Rabbits sound like great company. 🙂
Thank you for the beautiful fairytale. I also enjoy living by myself. After 37 years I only recently discovered this. Our society in the Netherlands is also very much a extraverted culture. The focus lies on doing fun things together. Shopping on a busy Saturday for example. I dislike this. I am a INFJ personality. What a struggle with is finding balance between joining in conversations with collegues at work and doing my work in silence. I am very receptive of what is going on in my environment and I love to join in conversations and joking around. By the end of the day however I feel drained and do not like to do speak anymore. So yesterday at work I wanted to experiment and be more silent. I got all kinds of remarks of people. The asked why I was so quiet in front of everyone. I felt embarrassed everyone was looking at me. Then the thought:being silent is not good.
Do you have advice how to explain to people why I need to be more quite to preserve my energy levels?
He Elisabeth! Zo te zien ben je nieuw hier, welkom! Als ik een tip mag geven, speur een beetje rond op het INFJ forum. Daar staan tips en genoeg advies over hoe jezelf te zijn in deze drukke samenleving.
Ik denk ik reageer bewust in het Nederlands, weet je in ieder geval dat je niet alleen bent ?.
Maar deze site is in ieder geval een mooi beginpunt in de zoektocht naar jezelf.
Groetjes uit Limburg, Ricardo
Hi Inis,
I am sending my thoughts from unknown and quiet world to the land of Inis.
I hope there may be an open crack thru which it may reach her Quietly.Try to hear my silent whispers and express them using your crayons.It would definitely create some formless figure.
Azure…
A fairy tale … yes … but how hard would it be to establish a community based on these ideas? I feel that our western society is dysfunctional because they refuse to give introvert ideals a fair chance. A normal functional society would have introvert and extrovert positive traits if perfect balance. What problems would surface with a introverted dominated society in our western culture? Yeah … a test community would be an interesting experiment in sociology.
I suppose that’s why I put it in fairytale form – the reality of it ruins the fun! 😉
Wonderfully written Michaela! 🙂 I enjoyed reading every single sentence. 🙂
As I was reading it, I was imagining it myself, slowly taking myself to Inis magnificent world… My mind slowly projecting and living, completely losing itself in this beautiful, magical place, where introverts rule supreme… 🙂
And the conclusion:
“For now, it only existed inside Inis’s imagination. And that, Inis knew, was okay, because inside her head was her favorite place to be. She would always be ruler of her imaginary worlds. And she would rule well.” Simply magnificent… 🙂
Thanks, Marko! Glad you enjoyed the journey! 😀
Hey, that was beautiful! As much as I love being by myself, I feel like introverts can have the best of both worlds; a quit imaginary adventure and boisterous times with family and friends!
Yes, agreed Austin! Thanks. 🙂
Hi Michaela,
I’ve just pre-ordered your book and can’t wait to read it! Loved the fairytale – I wish I could live in Inis’s world. We really need more places (apart from our own homes) where we can hide away and have quiet time.
Thanks for ordering my book Clare! Indeed, quiet time is golden in our noisy world. 😉
Beautiful. A afternoon delight!. Thanks!
Oh good! That’s what I’d hoped for, Vernon. 🙂
Great article! How i wished for the world to be like that (fewer words!!) when I was younger. love your writing style 🙂
Thank you Sonali. 🙂
..and in such an imaginary world, gathering and enjoying the company of others would be done just as spontaneously as deciding to enjoy one’s own quiet solitude. This is because there would be absolutely no pressure to make big group plans and stick to them, and people would assemble freely in places where everybody knew they could spend time with others, only when they wanted to.
That’s what immediately jumped to my mind when reading this. Sounds like a beautiful world Michaela 🙂
A great addition, Phillip! 🙂
Such a fun imaginary place you’ve described. I love living alone too, but always find myself justifying it to my friends and neighbors. Thank you for sharing the comforting ways (we innies) use our imaginations!
You’re welcome, Patricia! No need to feel guilty! 😉
Beautiful! This makes me wish the Land of Inis was a real place, but at least I can always find it in my mind. ?
Yes, it will always be there. The way my life is now, it’s getting closer and closer to the Land of Inis – so it’s possible! 🙂
Oh my dear Michaela! This was so lovely. I chuckled so much reading this due to my ability to see myself in Inis. It feels good to have a place (Introvert Spring) where other people get me. If only the Land of Inis was a real place…
Great job!
Thanks Channing! Happy you could see yourself in Inis. 🙂
Love this. I’m so happy to have found your site and to read your posts as I just keep nodding at everything saying ‘this is me’ to myself, quietly in my head. xx
Happy you found me, too, Janine. 😀
i cherished and enjoyed this story till the end mwah
I’m happy to hear that! Thanks, Melanie. 😀
This piece spoke straight to my heart.
In college, I discovered an old Steely Dan song “The Caves of Altamira” from their 1976 album The Royal Scam, and the first verse of this song struck me in the same way. One of their best songs I think. The lyrics were cryptic enough to allow me to interpret them according to my fancy (I always seem to misinterpret lyrics anyway since I apparently have an idiosyncratic way of looking at the world).
I love fairy tales. Thanks for the piece.
You’re welcome, Glen. Thanks for sharing the song. 🙂
Love, love, love it! Hope you’re alright with me sharing your post on my Facebook page – I want all my introvert friends to read it too 🙂
Thanks! Absolutely, share away! 😀
Hey, this was wonderful, I read it a few times, trying to create this Land of Inis Slowdon inside my head, so as to have a place to resort to and enjoy my solitude. =)
Reminds me of being 2 years old sitting in a dark closet, with my rubber pants on my head
looking out the leg hole playing spaceman. The drain at the corner of the street that flooded after a hard rain was a brown ocean where my shark could eat his prey and sink boats. Headlights of cars were lasers that would freeze you before you could get to base (the front porch). The couch cushions thrown on the floor were rocks floating on lava and you only had a few minutes to save your friends and pull them to the safety of the couch and help them over the wall to escape the impending doom of the volcano’s wrath. Laying on the blue floor of the kitchen and swimming with my mercat. That is always fun. Thankfully there are and will be more stories like that in my head. Join me in the dark side Michaela, we have cookies. 😀
Yes! Somebody else knows about the cookies on the dark side! Seriously, I have been going on for ages about “welcome to the dark side, we have cookies”. Honestly though, that sounds exactly like my early childhood. I wish I lived in Inis’ world.
This is one of the most beautiful things I have read in my adult life! So refreshing & beautiful! Thank you Michaela.
Aww thank you Sharlene! So happy to hear that. <3
If only such a world could be reality! This is one of the most thoughtful and beautiful things I have read. I have only recently discovered why I never fit in with the crowd. I am so glad to have found Introvert Spring!
Poignant and wonderful tale Michaela! I know my weekends are spent in the Land if Inis Slowdown. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Bob! Good to hear from you! 🙂
Thank you for the beautifully written tale…I hope that one day this will become a way of life…thank you
Michaela,
It could be possible if Evil has It’s way and blows everything up!
Would it not be too cool if we could shed the stupid physical we have been locked in for much too long already!
I have things to do while I am here, but honestly, this Existenz sucks and I await it’s fitting ending, yay!!!!
Even the poor animals suffer in the throws of springtime “heat”, to get pregnant and bogged down by this continuous insanity.
Michaella, your beautiful work inspired me to wrote a book ♥
It’s about introversion of course. ^_^
Two of the characters names are Innis and Michaella ♥
There’s also Susan Cain, Laurie Helgoe, Sophia Dembling and even Dale Carnegie.
I’m planning to put Jenn Granham in the second book.