Dear Eric: I’m a 71-year-old female and have read many tips on how to meet people and make new friends, but all involve “groups” which have never appealed to me, as I am an introvert. I’m not at all comfortable in large groups, I feel overstimulated by too much chatter. It’s absolutely draining and I also feel obligated to engage in group conversations that I do not enjoy.

In the past I’ve been told I can seem snobbish, withdrawn or standoffish. I wish people could understand that some of us are simply introverted. It’s nothing personal against anyone else, it’s just how we’re wired.

One-on-one gatherings are my preference, but no more than a group of maybe four people at a time would be acceptably comfortable for me.

My interests are all the “quiet” kind; gardening, nature, wildlife (a

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