Every "Helpful" Friend When You Try to Lose Weight - Al Park Stand-Up
I'm a mom on a mission to get my kids through the jungle of puberty while keeping my sanity along the journey.
Every "Helpful" Friend When You Try to Lose Weight - Al Park Stand-Up
I bundled up and rushed off to church. Once inside the
church I shed my bulky coat, exchanged pleasantries with a few people in the
room, then chatted with a friend nearby. I sauntered over to the coffee table
and back. Another friend walked over, interrupted us, to pay me a compliment…I
think.
You may be familiar with the moment. Someone opens their
mouth, clearly aiming for a compliment, and somehow the words make a sharp left
turn into Wait… what did you just say? territory. You smile. You may even say “thank you,” while your brain
quietly pulls the comment apart like a detective with too much caffeine. It
wasn’t rude—on purpose. It wasn’t intentional—hopefully. But it definitely
wasn’t what your self-esteem ordered, and now you’re stuck replaying it on a
loop you never asked for.
My friend giving the compliment leaned in and said, “you
look good. Most people who gain weight, it doesn’t look good on them. It looks
good on you; you carry it well.”
I chuckled and said, “thanks,” with a quizzical look on my
face. However, I did tell my friend, “You can have my extra pounds, I’d rather
not have them.”
I don’t think my friend realized her comment could have come
across as offensive. But because I know her personality, I knew she did not
mean to offend. And because of who I am, I was not offended…and I will turn the
situation into comedy.
Sometimes a comment can take a wrong turn. When this happens,
you can get upset about it…or not. In this situation, I chose to uncover the
humor.
Have you ever experienced a compliment gone wrong? Were you
the giver or receiver of the compliment?