“Meet the people.”
– Cicely O’Donovan, my grandmother
Last night I attended a beautiful celebration of love for my dear friend and her soulmate, which they shared with people from different walks of their lives: family members, neighbors, co-workers from 30+ years of different jobs, college friends, grad-school classmates, old friends, new friends. I felt the magic that the couple felt as they greeted loved ones, some of whom traveled across the world to be there.
An introvert at heart, I’ll admit my instinct at parties is to stay in the safety zone of chatting with familiar people. While I had lovely reconnections with my grad-school friends, I intentionally initiated conversations with people I didn’t know. Experience has taught me that I’m likely to enjoy my friends’ friends. Still, it’s scary, especially when a group of folks knows each other. The upshot: I got to learn more about the friend we have in common and experienced a meaningful connection with a new-to-me person. An extrovert who loved a party, my grandma Cicely would often ask me about who I’d met recently. By learning about the people in my life, she learned more about me.
Perhaps paradoxically, by stepping away from the event several times, I found myself wanting to stay at the party longer. Throughout the evening, I gave myself time alone to walk around the barn and take photos from a distance. That time alone helped me process input and recharged me throughout the evening.
How can you take advantage of an opportunity to form a meaningful connection with a new person?
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