On Thursday, I was the emcee, not a large group, but certainly, a respectable showing for our IFMA group – the first in-person event since the pandemic shuttered everyone’s joie de vivre more than two years ago. Networking, making new acquaintances and reviving old ones, people we’ve not seen in ages or met for the first time.
My point, we are all again enjoying a return to that ‘handshaking/meeting/greeting’ experience of swapping business cards, telling short stories about our companies, and discussing common interests, clients and projects after the formal parts of the event and a building tour, food and beverages and more relaxed conversation.
I had a good time.
I think everyone did.
We’ll do this again soon.
For two years – everywhere, we’ve been foregoing such opportunities to meet/greet without fear the words we speak might convey anything but our meaning, that the air was safe to breathe, and the smiles were genuine. It was the best of times revisited. This is happening everywhere now, as we restart our strong need to be social animals. It’s not essential to survival, but I’m convinced it’s crucial for thriving …