Welcome Home!

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou

It was early 2023 and my first networking event in years. I went to support a friend, and also because I felt it was a worthy cause: Celebrating Women in Business. As I walked into the room, I looked around and realized that there were going to be hundreds of people in attendance and it was likely that I would only know two or three people – one of whom was the friend I would be meeting there.

I walked around, observing the room set-up and the other early participants greeting one another and finding seats. Taking a breath, I walked up to a table with a couple of people already seated and introduced myself. Their reception was cool, their disinterest apparent. I wasn’t sure how things ran at this event, or the normal protocol, but it was easy to read that I wasn’t particularly welcome at this table. I moved along to find another seat, one facing the stage with an unobstructed view.

After placing my sweater on the back of a chair at an unoccupied table, I began to move around the room, interested to meet those in attendance. Most people were largely interested in their devices, a maneuver I am familiar with – one that allows me to hide in plain sight. Others were happy to chat with folks they already knew. I am familiar with this also – I always feel safer when in the company of a friend.

After a few awkward moments, I decided to go to the drinks area and get a cup of coffee. As I wound my way through the tables, a woman in her early 40s approached me. She was beautiful. It wasn’t particularly her mocha colored skin, or tight cap of curls, her brightly colored outfit or even her smile – it was her essence. Spreading her arms wide, she gathered me to her in a warm embrace and said, “Welcome home!”

I felt it – I felt her. I felt her heart and mine joined although we had never met. She was genuine and so was I.
It’s been some time since that event. I vaguely remember the presentations and the awards that were given. But, when I close my eyes, I can still feel the homecoming in that simple greeting extended from the heart.