Last night, I went out to dinner with a friend and her family. I’ve known them for years and they’re good people.
However, last night turned a bit awkward for me. My friend and her father are very much alike in how they speak and state their opinion. “Greyhounds are ugly.” “She is stupid.” “Anyone who doesn’t like hot sauce are wimps.”
First off, I don’t have any problem with people stating their opinion. We all have one and should not be afraid to share it. After all, freedom of speech and all that jazz. However, sometimes their blanket statements- as if their opinion is the right one and anyone who disagrees is a moron- rubs me the wrong way. To me there are better ways to phrase things, but maybe I’m too sensitive about that. Anyway, last night, I was on the end of the father’s disapproval.
It all started when I was ordering my usual- water with no ice. As soon as I said no ice, my friend’s father’s eyebrows sprung up and a look of befuddlement washed over him. “No ice? Are you allergic to ice?” There it was. The condescending tone. I was offended mostly by the tone and the rude face he was making, but I just smiled and tried to explain that the chill from the ice hurts my teeth which are really sensitive. However, I had been marked as the one to jab about my preference of my water with no ice. There was good nature ribbing from everyone at the table about it, except for my friend who was too busy on her phone to participate. But I’m able to laugh at myself, so I took it in stride and shrugged it off. One key to guard your happiness- be able to laugh at yourself. Others are going to, so just roll with it.
Then the waitress came and delivered our food. I ordered a burger with bacon, cheese, a fried egg and guacamole. The father approved of my selection….until I had the “audacity” to put ketchup on it. All of a sudden, he raised a big stink about me “murdering” an already great burger with ketchup. That I have “desecrated” the burger. He told the waitress to grab the cook and let him know the horror that I’ve committed. The waitress looked at him, at my burger and then shrugged saying that of course it’s okay for me to put ketchup on it. It’s a burger. With that one voice of support, I smiled and continued eating my burger. There were still a few comments made about how I “desecrated” the burger- seriously-, but I just rolled with it and did not apologize.
This is just a small, minor example but the truth is that people’s judgment can quickly shred your happiness if you let it. I could have gotten defensive or sulked or pouted when faced with someone who judged my actions/requests. It would have been easy to decide to not continue with the conversation. To just sit in the booth with my eyes down and mouth shut. To get lost in second guessing my decision and wondering if I’m the weird one. The thing is not to let yourself go down the downward spiral. I wasn’t hurting anyone. I wasn’t affecting anyone else with my actions. So, why should I let someone’s judgment steal my happiness?
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