I Was Told to Come Out of My Shell. I Have Some Notes.

Every few months, someone well-meaning tells me I should come out of my shell more.

I understand the impulse. From the outside, a shell looks like hiding. But I would like to offer another view: a shell is not where I hide from the world. It is where I bring the world home.

When it is too dry to be out, I go in. When the garden is loud, I go in. When I have had a long day crossing a patio that turned out to be much wider than it looked, I go in, and I rest, and when the rain comes I come out again, glad to see everyone.

There is nothing wrong with being out. There is nothing wrong with being in, either. The trick is knowing which one you need.

So please, stop telling me to come out of my shell. I will come out when it rains. I always do.

Ada Mossgrove is a contributing opinion writer. She lives under the third flowerpot from the left.