Compassion
You may notice I haven't
written in the past few weeks. It's just because I really haven't
had a whole lot to say. Everything is going the way it should be as
far as my weight loss. It's continuing at a great pace and I'm super
excited about hitting 50 pounds!
I saw something a few
days ago that I decided I wanted to write about here. Most of you may
have seen the video of the elderly, overweight, bus monitor who got
completely ridiculed by the students she was monitoring on the bus.
If you haven't, you should really go watch it and make your kids,
nieces, nephews, little cousins, or anyone else who is at an age that
is impressionable. It broke my heart.
This woman – 68 years old
and still working was just doing a job. She was sitting there,
minding her own business when these teenagers started calling her every
foul name in the book. They ridicule her about her weight, calling
her a fat ass. Then they ridicule her about the fact that she's
probably poor. They even go so far as to say that her family probably
wants to kill themselves to not be around her because she's so fat.
If that had been an
impressionable teen who felt bad about themselves, about their
weight. Who knows? They may have gone home and done just that.
The lack of compassion and
human decency from these kids just astounds me. Where they not
taught right from wrong? Do they not believe that everyone has
feelings? Do they not realize what kind of scars they leave on
others?
It brought back many
memories for myself. In high school, I had a great group of friends
that never said anything about me. However, there were a few who
said things and even when I'd walk on the street. I can still
remember someone saying that I was so fat, if you broke my leg gravy
would pour out. I can remember being at the movies and walking to
the car and someone making a mooing noise and calling me a fat ass.
That happened when I was a teenager. I am going on 31 years old and
I still remember it. Those things hurt and if you have some sort of
misconception that by making fun of someone you're 'helping' them.
Let me assure you, it doesn't help at all. It makes you want to go
home and eat more. It makes your self-esteem drop and it makes you
feel worthless.
Just because people are
different than you, whether they have a disability, are overweight,
or all tattooed and pierced up – doesn't mean they aren't a human
being. We should have all been taught common courtesy and human
decency. If we lose that as people, then we have nothing. Change
starts with one of us. We must teach the younger generation this –
especially with the reports that half the nation will be obese in 20
years. It does no good to try and 'shame' them. Trust me, they have
enough shame coming from their own thoughts.
Live by the golden rule,
treat others the way you want to be treated and you will see just how
amazing of a life you can have.
I am glad to say, I've
overcome a lot of my past. I'm almost halfway to my goal. That bus
monitor, the world has donated over $300,000 to give her a better
life. Those people who called me names, I have no idea where they
are. Those boys who made fun of the bus monitor could be facing
criminal charges. There are consequences for the actions you make
and words you say, so please choose them carefully. You never know
when that one word you say will push someone over the edge.
Instead, wouldn't you prefer
for that one word you say to be the catalyst that pushes someone to
do something positive and change their life forever? Positivity
never hurt anyone. Negativity has killed many a dream.
What's your decision?