Lifesavers: Don’t “Yuck” on Someone Else’s “Yum”
My friend, Stephanie Reynolds, is a smart cookie. You can always count on her for unique insight and wisdom on any variety of topics and she delivers her opinions tempered with grace and kindness. She posted this on Facebook this morning and it was so impactful and so spot on that I asked for permission to share it on my social media and here on Southern Plate.Â
I hope you’ll take time to read this and share it wherever you see the need.Â
From Stephanie:Â
I recently came across a great piece of advice to bring a little kindness and gracious living into the world: “Don’t yuck someone else’s yum”.
Now of course that is not talking about sins or crimes.
But, for example, if someone posts or says “I LOVE xyz movie!” It really is not our calling in life to say “That movie was TERRIBLE!”. It is embarrassing to the person who loved the movie, and makes us look like a big ugly party pooper.
If someone LOVES pineapples on a pizza, don’t say (as I have in the past 
) “EWWW!!!”. Amazingly enough, someone else’s taste buds are not my business nor under my control.
If we find ourselves faced with someone who just LOVES beans or the Three Stooges or Avocados or the Kiera Knightly version of Pride and Prejudice or something we don’t like, the best thing we can do is to say “Oh? What do you like about it/them?” then let them talk while we nod politely and encouragingly.
Perhaps they noticed something we didn’t. Perhaps we can just let them geek on about mashed potatoes or watching sports or Star Wars or toilet paper over/under or anything else someone might like that we don’t. Then we can end with “Thank you for sharing! I never thought of it that way”.
It is a small but valuable gift that we can easily give: the restraint of our negative opinion in the face of enthusiasm.
I had to put this into practice tonight. A couple I know is celebrating their anniversary with a special dinner at a restaurant where I think the food is totally disgusting. I couldn’t think of anything nice to say about it, so I said, “Happy anniversary!”
Well done KK! Sometimes that is all we can do 🙂 .
I don’t know how to post a Quote, it posted as a comment instead… LOL
Never Let a Just Cause Do An Unjust Act
On September 11, 2001 I was working in an office in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The office was located in the Calgary International Airport.
Someone came to our area and said a plan just went into one of the towers in New York. While I was watching the tv, the second plane went into the other tower.
Like most people around the world I was shocked and could not leave the tv.
Within an hour or so planes from the US started to land at the Calgary airport. I kept thinking the people on the plane have no idea what has just happened.
While standing and watching the events unfold this thought crossed my mind – Never Let a Just Cause Do An Unjust Act.
After a few days the flight ban was lifted and in the early morning hours I saw the first airplane leave Calgary. The sky was the most beautiful colour, and the plane was like it was standing still in the sky, leaving an impression in my mind I will never forget.
Being at the airport gave me a unique perspective on the magnitude of those days.
My hope is one day this thought will come to fruition.
Thank you for sharing!
Always enjoy your posts!
And if someone does this to you, just fluff out your tutu, adjust your tiara, and keep on dancing!
What great advice! Thanks for sharing!