Community Chat

[June222]

Sometimes we need a wake up call..... what mean  words we say or even think about someone else not knowing their circumstances can be so hurtful. This Mom touched my heart.

Mom Buys Coffee For Women Who Mocked Her In Line

http://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/family/mom-buys-coffee-for-women-who-mocked-her-in-line/ar-AAeJox...

[skuggles]

I am not always kind, so this is an exemplary reminder.

[dooBdoo]

Thanks, @June222!   I love this!

I hope it's okay, I wanted to post the article for those who don't like links:

"How do you deal when you overhear someone say something nasty about you?   I’m the type to roll my eyes and walk away, but if you catch me on a bad day, watch out—venom and vitriol shall spew. (Hold my earrings!)

From now on, however, I’m going to try and take a page out of Dianne Hoffmeyer’s book.

The Michigan mom was standing in line at Tim Hortons with her 22-month-old daughter when she overheard two women saying mean things about her appearance; things like, "Oh look at her hair, it's nasty looking and the roots are coming through," and "Oh she's a whale, oh the whale needs to eat." 

Their cruel words cut deep. 

"I instantly started to cry, because it hurts. I don't know the women. I don't know why they would choose to say something like that,” she said.  

But then, Dianne did something few of us would even consider:  She bought the two women coffee.

Her reasoning?  Dianne was proud of having recently lost 177 pounds, and she wanted to set a good example for her daughter. 

After posting her encounter on Facebook, thousands of strangers rallied in Dianne’s corner. The post now has more than 166,000 likes and Dianne has recieved at least 94,000 friends requests from all over the world. 

So what would she do if she encountered these coffee shop trolls again?

"I'd like to buy them another cup of coffee, and talk to them.  And explain to them how it made me feel."

Let’s all be more like Dianne today!  The world can use a little more kindness."

[Moonchilde]

Or, if not to always make a concerted effort to "be kind", make an effort NOT to be UNkind. There is a difference. The women in this scenario were "practicing unkindness" as a part of who they are. Hopefully, they will discover at some point that it doesn't really get you much, if anything.

[blackhole99]

Well good for Dianne, but I would have turned around and gave those bi--hes the finger. If you think calling them out with a cup of coffee made any difference to them think again, they would have remembered the finger.

[Moonchilde]

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@baker wrote:

Well good for Dianne, but I would have turned around and gave those bi--hes the finger. If you think calling them out with a cup of coffee made any difference to them think again, they would have remembered the finger.

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But they would have chalked it up to "that kind of person" and felt righteous in their trashing.

What I might have done is whip out my phone and take pix or a video clip of them, quote them, and spread their *faces* far and wide in social media along with their words.

[skuggles]

@blackhole99 I can't believe this didnt have any effect on them. But I totally get where you're coming from.

[dooBdoo]

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baker wrote:

Well good for Dianne, but I would have turned around and gave those bi--hes the finger. If you think calling them out with a cup of coffee made any difference to them think again, they would have remembered the finger.

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I respectfully disagree, @blackhole99.  In my experience, responding to unkindness with unkindness only reinforces the negative and implies everyone moves through the world in an unpleasant retaliatory way.  The way someone treats us, acts toward us, or talks about us puts their character on exhibit, not ours.

[dooBdoo]

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@Moonchilde wrote:

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@baker wrote:

Well good for Dianne, but I would have turned around and gave those bi--hes the finger. If you think calling them out with a cup of coffee made any difference to them think again, they would have remembered the finger.

---

But they would have chalked it up to "that kind of person" and felt righteous in their trashing.

What I might have done is whip out my phone and take pix or a video clip of them, quote them, and spread their *faces* far and wide in social media along with their words.

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I agree with the first sentence, @Moonchilde, but not the second one.  In this day and age, that might cause a physical altercation and put everyone in jeopardy.

[MaggieMack]

One more finger would have been lost in the thousands they surely have received or will. That moment where she opened the blinds just a little with the coffee and let the light come flowing in is likely to stay with them forever.