I rushed around the house this morning getting dressed, making coffee, scarfing down some cereal and tossing together a tomato and an apple for lunch. It was the best I could do in such a hurry.
At lunch I remembered the snack machine in the lunchroom. I usually eat outside while the weather is nice, but it's getting tougher to do now that winter is fast approaching. The lunchroom was packed (as usual) but I managed to grab myself a seat and a package of Garden Salsa Sunchips ($1.00) to supplement my rather pathetic lunch.
A coworker sat across from me and made a comment about the tomato/apple I was having for lunch and how healthy I was. I replied back, "Yes, but I'm eating badly too..all about balance" and laughed and pointed to the Sunchips. I shrugged and went back to the crossword puzzle.
English is generally not spoken in the lunchroom (and rarely in my workplace!) and everyone went about chatting and eating. The coworker sitting across from me is one of the few other employees who speaks English.
I was halfway through eating my sad lunch...and was about to put a sunchip into my mouth and my coworker said, "You shouldn't eat that."
I was taken aback and a voice came out of my mouth that shocked even me when I looked up and said, "I'll eat whatever I like."
My coworker said "what?" And I repeated it.
This time, louder and clearer...and dare I say it...hopefully a bit meaner.
I often find that I get angry at myself when I don't think fast enough on my feet to put people in their place. I then stew on what I should have said/done all day. Well, not today. Today I was pleased for standing up for myself and taking ownership over what is MY choice.
I get that I am a bigger gal. I will never be a size 2, let alone a size 0. No offense, but I don't want to be a zero..never taking up any space in this world. But just because I am bigger than a size 6 gives you NO right to make comments on what I am eating. Just as if you were a size 2 I wouldn't comment on what you should be eating!
The more I think about it though, the more I notice that I make an effort in my life to not say anything to anyone that might be considered rude, out of turn or just none of my damned business! Whatever happened to tact, manners, grace? What gives people the notion that THEY should make judgement on someone else for their choices?
More often than not, I find it also reflects back on how I respond to people as well. I am generally taken aback when people make comments that I believe are inappropriate, rude or even downright derogatory. So much so that I don't say anything at all...and that is what I am going to change. Starting now. Offenders, be on guard.
I will not ask you how much money you make (and honestly, I'm not really interested unless you have a job for me too), how much you weigh, what size you wear..unless we are talking about shoes (cause I'm all about the shoes) or call you demeaning "masked as cute" nicknames (chipmunk cheeks) or make you feel badly about yourself. You don't deserve it....and neither do I.
and just hanging out and kvetching about life. I do have to issue a bit of an apology to Scott though for my lethargic behaviour and wandering brain.
