Many were smiling, and their expressions were warm. And thus I found myself walking slowly into a room scanning unfamiliar faces.Įveryone was talking around a table, helping themselves to the drinks and snacks. Anticipating tardy arrivals, the organisers had smartly added a half hour buffer. Not knowing anyone else attending, I arrived 15 minutes late to avoid awkwardly standing around alone. Recently I had this experience when I went to an after-work event. Anything to stop the discomfort of being alone and exposed. Failing that, most of us will take almost anyone we know. The first thing we do is scan the crowd for a familiar face.
We’ve all walked into a room full of people.
