Going Alone vs. Taking Someone

How does one decide whether to attend an event by oneself or to invite someone to join them?

Honestly, I believe that it depends on the situation as every situation is different. Let me give you a couple of examples...

Example #1
Several years ago, I was invited to attend my ex-boyfriend's wedding reception. Since we had graduated from the same class in high school, I knew that we would continue to see each other at class reunions and possibly other events. Also, due to business connections, I would also be doing business with his company on occasion. So, I made the decision to attend the wedding. My main reason for attending was to hold my head up high and prove to myself that life goes on. As I knew that this was going to be an emotional struggle for me, I asked one of my girl friends to attend with me. I was able to attend the reception with the support of a good friend and that meant the world to me. To this day, I am glad that I attended the wedding and took a friend with me.

Example #2
About a year after the ex-boyfriend's wedding reception, it was time for our class reunion. At this time, I wasn't dating anyone and considered asking a guy friend to go with me. The cost was about $50 per person. That is a lot of money to spend when the only reason to take someone with me is to try to put on an image that I am okay... while my ex-boyfriend is in the room with his new wife. I considered going and sitting with my married friends. Yet, I decided that the reunion didn't really mean that much to me and I made other plans for the evening. This is another decision that I am glad that I had made.

These two examples were big events in my life involving a wedding reception and a class reunion... both of which would have my ex-boyfriend in attendance. Sometimes, the big decisions seem easier to make than the small decisions.

Currently, I am debating on inviting a friend to attend a casual dinner with me... or to go alone. The dinner will be at the home of a friend whom I haven't seen in a long time. We will be eating with his wife and kids... whom I have never met before. I know that I tend to become quiet in unfamiliar settings, so it may be nice to take a friend with me. Yet, on the other hand, I haven't seen this friend in years and bringing another person with me may cause some awkwardness.

I haven't decided what I am going to do yet, but I know that whatever decision I do make - I will be happy with the results :)
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