Meeting new people is not always easy.  If you’re shy, uncertain, subject to more than your fair share of demons and internal dialogue, it can be almost impossible to open your mouth and say hello to someone you know, let alone someone you don’t.

Today I sat down at my computer and typed the word ‘hello’.  It glowed bleakly back at me from the screen. I looked at it.  ‘Hello’. I thought seeing as I could read the word and I could hear the voice in my head say ‘hello’, then probably it would be possible to speak the word out loud.

I swallowed.

I opened my mouth, felt my tongue drop against my teeth and my throat constrict. I breathed in, the edges of my lips pushed outwards as if trying to smile. Pressure rolled up my windpipe ‘huuuuuuuhello’. That wasn’t too bad. It felt OK.  I think I…