#webothlovesoup

[theculturecreative]

BEST IN SHOW: #JBBlunk, 1973 • #WeBothLoveSoup (at Palm Springs, California)

[meghantonjes]

Woman Responds to Fat Hate on Airline. AMAZING RESPONSE.

"Remember on all of the sitcoms in the 80′s they’d have those “very special episodes about abortion, or molestation, or something else that was completely unnecessary for Arnold and Willis to be ‘talkin bout?

Well..this is one of those for me…

I’m far from a size 2, well, and a size 12. And truly, if you’re in the plus-sized realm, traveling & fllying can often be a nightmare. Not because I can’t fit in a seat….I can. Not because I’m hanging all over the person next to me….I don’t. . But what you come face to face with in this realm are people who will stare at you, glare at you, and openly mock you. And I’m not exaggerating even a little bit.

This week, I had a short little trip to California. On my 2nd flight, I was seated next to a 20-something-year-old kid. He looked horrified to be sitting next to me. Awesome moment #1. I’m buckled in, minding my business,a nd I look over to see that he has taken a picture of himself with me beside him and posted it to Facebook…telling his friends that this is the “worst flight EVERRRRRRRRRR” because of the fat lady next to him. In the 20 minutes it took for them to figure out the baggage puzzle below, I read over his shoulder as he and his friends made disgusting comments at my expense.

Now, 10 years ago, this would have been devastatingly embarrassing to me. But it wasn’t. At first (and truly, still) I was angry that he had violated my privacy and my humanity. And then, I felt like I had to share some wisdom with him. That maybe, just maybe, I was sent to teach him something.

Someone told me recently that we choose to do things for one of two reasons….we either act of Fear or out of Love. I realized that cussing him out on the plane would’ve been acting from fear. Because I had been looking over his shoulder, I learned what his name was. I found him on Facebook, and choosing to act out of love instead, I sent him this message:

“My name is Gretchen…I was sitting on the plane next to you on the way to Fresno today. I saw the picture, and read the comments you and your friends made about me. About the size of my arms, the fact that I should get off the plane to offset the weight. And you know what…I get it. Post a pic of a fat stranger and have some fun cracking jokes with your friends. But I want you to know that I’m a human being.

I grew up in New York, I speak 3 languages, I have a black belt in Taekwondo, and have been married 10 years. I also grew up angry, and spent years fighting depression, addiction, and an abusive relationship. Despite that, I traveled the world, got a master’s degree and learned how to cook, make quilts, to shoot expert on a Glock 19, how to do a jujitsu Kimora and, how to forgive.

I lost my dad 6 years ago to cancer, and my father-in-law 6 months ago to it as well. That flight we were on, I was on my way to meet my family in Yosemite to scatter his ashes.

I’m sure you’re a nice guy. I see from your FB wall that you have problems with your dad .and your child’s mother. As I sat next to you I pray ed for you…That you would find grace in your life to stand up and be a powerful person. A person that could approach life with love and kindness, and not fear and ridicule.

Thanks for helping me learn another lesson about myself….and for hopefully reading my entire message….giving me a chance to be human.”

….UPDATE….

I received a response last night. It’s not poetry, but it’s way more than I expected: “Wow i feel horrible caus i never acted like dat [before]. I respect u an truly am sorry”"

Source: Gretchen, (webothlovesoup)

Check out the original post here.