Up to my ears in expectations

Very rarely do you see someone out in public eating by themselves. Maybe at the mall or at McDonald's it's a little more common, but not at restaurants like the one that I work at. This evening a petite, white-haired woman came into the restaurant and sat in the lounge for dinner by herself. My bus boy remarked how odd it was that she was alone, which got me to thinking, why is it unusual for someone to eat alone? Why do we have such an attraction to being in the company of others?

Of course, not everyone is that way. To this day I can't decide if I lean toward the more or less-social end of the spectrum. While I have many friends, I thoroughly value alone time and my own room. I tend to be loud in a group of people that I know, and quiet in a group that I'm unfamiliar with. This might not have anything to do with my social tendencies, but rather my shyness. Either way it's besides the point.

Thinking about it, everything is always grouped in twos, or some sort of group. Animals, flowers, toes... Are we inclined by human nature to form groups for comfort and safety? Or are we conditioned by our society to believe that we must never be alone?

I think the answer to this is a combination of both. We have an attraction to the company of others because it's human nature. Not only does safety and comfort come from numbers, but as social beings we love to talk about ourselves (I know I do) and talk to others for reassurance. Because of this tendency, I think there is a societal expectation in which we are expected to be social beings in order to be normal. Therefore, it's unusual to eat in a restaurant alone or to be 40 years old and single. We seem to impose the things we want for ourselves onto others. Maybe that woman in the restaurant needed a break from the chaos in her household and wanted to enjoy her Mandarin Chicken entree in peace.

Though we crave the attention and atmosphere of being in a group, you have to admit, it takes a good deal of confidence to go to a restaurant and eat alone. 

Watch out for me next week having dinner by myself in a restaurant near by, but don't join me, I like my alone time.