RESPECT

So, today we are gonna have a little chat about respect. Why, you ask? Because, my Lovelies, I have found people lacking in this area. Now, I'm not talking about how people have been disprectful towards me, because that has happened as of late. However, I did get to witness one of the most blatant forms of disrespect just yesterday! Fun, right? Let's start the Love, Heldie rewind.

As you may know, I am rather partial to Mexican food. And a cheap meal. Let's just say I really like cheap Mexican food. Anyway, I went out to lunch with a couple friends to indulge in free chips and salsa and to chat. You know, being adult and such! We had a lovely waitress who had excellent makeup. I had noticed it the last time I had been at this restaurant (I REEAALLYY like Mexican food). We were there for about an hour, stuffed our faces with all that we could, and headed up front to pay the check.

When we arrived at the cashier's station, we were greeted by a young man. Picking up our check, he asks my friend who was at the front of the line, "Who was your waitress? Did you have the chubby, red-headed waitress?" All of us taken aback, we just looked at one another. Did he really just say that? And again, recognizing the confusion on our faces, rattled off the question again, "Was your waitress the red-headed, chubby one?"

My friend, not knowing what to say, just told the *ahem* man, what he ordered, paid, and went on. My other friend followed suit, while the guy attempted small talk. Now, I wish I could say that when I got to the register, I went all Queen Latifah on him and told him exactly where he could stick that receipt. However, that didn't happen. What did happen was his attempt at small talk that I ignored as I stared intently into his eyes, trying to burn, "I'm not happy with you," into his frontal lobe. Honestly, he probably didn't get the message.

Thinking about it later on, it hit me that he had absolutely no idea that what he said was extremely rude. That's why he asked twice! What huge collapse in common courtesy has occurred where people just spout out whatever they're thinking, no matter how inappropriate? Most people I know, would never say such a thing. Especially at their place of employment!

Additionally, why is it so easy for people to say such hateful things without even batting an eye? Are we so used to being negative and saying negative things that when we get the first chance to say something slightly degrading, we do? I'm not proud of it, but I've done it.

It's so much easier to be mean than polite. We are so used to seeing the negatives in ourselves and picking at those, that sometimes we would like to lighten the load and add to someone else's. It sounds ridiculous, but it's true. We would rather distract ourselves from our own issues and point out another's and the easiest way to do that is through picking at physical appearance.

Take a look at any magazine in the check-out line. Get on your Snapchat and check out People Magazine's story. Everyday, men and women are put up against each other with the all important question of, "Who wore it best?" being asked. There is only an entire show dedicated to ripping apart a person's physical appearance. I'm talking to you, Fashion Police.

I think the greatest fault lies within us. We can't stand what we see in ourselves, so we push that negativity out on others. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that it is going to be quite awhile until we all make that realization.

Love,

Heldie