One on one

Anyone who knows me knows that I like to keep things simple.  It is almost a compulsion on my part.  Remember that old saying that was popular in the eighties?  “The winner is the one who dies with the most (quilting material, dolls, coins, whatever thing it was you collected.)”  I am not that person.

I do have and like “things,” but not for the sake of having a bunch of them.  One is usually enough.  Two feels burdensome to me and three is overwhelming.  On the flip side, I may use enough words talking about that one thing or all my “things” that you’d think I have a million.

I do have a lot of books, most of them out in North Carolina, although my bookshelves are gathering stacks again, and I do have a lot of pictures.  Those are about the only “things” I collect and even they must be something I love.

For me life is like a canvas and since I am not good at painting lots of things, I need each canvas to really focus on and set apart what is on it.  I have a small sort of étagère and each shelf has one object set off by one other.  I could sit and gaze at these for hours.  Putting fifty things of similar quality and style would only make me avoid the confusion of looking at them.

I feel the same way about people.  My favorite way to enjoy people is one at a time.  I appreciate a group of like minds occasionally, or find it entertaining to go somewhere with a group, but if I really like you and want to spend time with you, I prefer it to be alone.

There is no competition when there are just two of us.  I can give you all my attention.  Enjoy all of your little nuances.  If I honestly like you, I want to be alone with you, it is an entirely different perspective.

On the flip side there are people I never want to be alone with!