Facing the unfamiliar

October 18, 2011

I walked in to the conference area and approached the registration table with great hesitation, a little anxiety, and some fear. “What am I doing here?” I thought. “I don’t know these people, and they don’t know me. They don’t know anything about my life.” Even making the decision to be there was difficult. My mind raced with panic, “Will I feel comfortable? Will anyone come over and speak to me? Will everyone be in their own little cliques?”  Several women looked at me and smiled, left their conversations, walked over, put their arms around me, and said,  “Susan, we’d recognize you anywhere!” as they greeted me warmly. That’s all it took for the hesitation, anxiety, and fear to melt away.

My fifty-year High School Reunion had begun. I thoroughly enjoyed reacquainting with high school friends that I had not seen for decades. It was amazing how quickly we filled the gap of years with a bridge of stories to connect our lives once again. It was even more amazing how easy it was to recognize faces that looked familiar and had only aged through circumstances that come with living life so many years.

The feelings and emotions I experienced going into an unknown scenario probably resonates with you in similar situations. I especially think of how hard it is for a newcomer to walk into any room of strangers for the first time. Even coming to a Moving On group, where everyone else is also new, can produce fear and anxiety.

My reunion experience has been a reminder to me to be the first one to acknowledge anyone new, leave my conversation circle, and walk over to greet them warmly. These simple gestures of kindness can melt away or soften the impact of being a newcomer in unfamiliar surroundings. And…who knows if, or when, we might have another high school reunion, but I hold the memory of this one close to my heart, with the thought that maybe, just maybe-I might see these old, but new, friends again.

From my heart to yours,