Mind Your Own Beeswax! Is That Too Much to Ask For Anymore?

I just got off the phone with my mother and I'm infuriated! Apparently her neighbor, and so-called good friend, made a comment to her about the roundness of her stomach earlier today. Something to the extent of, "Well, apparently you didn't lose all of baby weight after having your daughter."

Great. Here we go again.

Now, if you've read my earlier entries on here, you will remember that my mother has struggled with eating disorders since her college days. Lately though, she' s been doing great. Although she's far from overweight, she has added a few healthy pounds to her frame in the last few months. Still though, I would estimate her weight at no more than 120 lbs, which is still pretty darn thin for a 5"6, soon to be 54-year-old women!

I have to worry that this comment will trigger some sort of regression. After all, the woman still weighs herself at least twice a day.

I'm sure it was an innocent enough comment that the aforementioned neighbor wouldn't have said had she known my mom's history. Still though, that begs me to wonder, why do some people feel that they have the right to openly judge and critique others for how they look? We've all been there before. The feeling of being watched while shopping for clothes, eating food, even just looking at food!

A few weeks ago I was at an open-air market near my house, when I spotted a gorgeous flowy, white top that I had to get a closer look at. As I inspected the top and searched for a price tag, I was immediately bombarded by the woman running the stand. "Oh don't worry, that will fit you. These fit everyone, even larger girls like you," she exclaimed, as if she were doing me a favor, rather than offering me an unsolicited reminder that I have a ways to go before reaching my goal. Needless to say, I did not get the top. As we were walking away, I complained to my stepmother about the backhanded comment made by the woman. She simply shrugged her shoulders and said, "Well, what do you expect?"

Was I being too sensitive about the market lady? I know that my anger towards the neighbor's comment is justified. The last thing a former anorexic/bulimic needs is to hear a comment about their weight.

But is it really too much to ask that someone you don't know would just keep their mouth shut? After all, I would have never dreamed of saying to market lady that her outfit made her look as if she had stepped out of a 1980's Florida retirement home...