I was so busy one day that I completely forgot to eat lunch. On my way to grab a bite, I bumped into some colleagues chatting. I joined them briefly but was hungry, so I excused myself.
Later, one of them came to me, asking why their conversation made me so upset that I left them suddenly….
I explained that I left them because I was starving and rushing to get food, plus I felt self-conscious because I hadn’t eaten all day and worried about lousy breath! It had absolutely nothing to do with them or their conversation!
She apologized for assuming the worst, and I was happy I could clarify the misunderstanding.
That experience sometimes reminds me how easy it is to misinterpret people’s behaviour, forgetting that things are not always what they seem.
