20 March 2012

Letter to a Meanie-pants


Dear Ms. Meanie-pants,
I got your comment on my Indian Headdress post today and after I had banished it to the [SPAM] folder, I got to thinking...

Firstly I wondered how much free time you must have, and why you'd waste valuable minutes going round spreading meanness about other people's work.

Secondly I wondered what kind of small-spirited person would want to be so nasty to someone they've never even met (who wasn't even posting about something controversial, just a humble glue-gun  project).

Thirdly I wondered what kind of day you were having? My guess is probably a bad one if my poor little post offended you so much you felt it necessary to leave such a scathing comment...


I see that your screen name is "Serenity Quest".
I clicked on your profile to get a clue about what kind of person would leave such a comment, and saw your by-line "My search for serenity amongst 4 very individual kids, constant remodeling, and homesteading adventures"
That's kind of ironic, really.

You're seeking serenity but going around spreading nastiness.
Honey, let me tell you, if you want inner peace, you've got to spread kindness not meanness.
Meanness will only leave a bitter taste in your mouth.
And nobody wants to be friends with a mean person.

I also see that your blog is completely empty. Not one post.
Is this because you are such a perfectionist, endlessly educating yourself before you attempt to produce something? Is it because if you can't make something perfect, you won't make it at all?


Or do you think if you post something there will be a whole lot of meanies who will come along and criticise your efforts? Maybe you expect the rest of the blogging world to be as mean and judemental as you.

Man, that is sad. I feel sorry for you.

Hey, my photos may not be the prettiest in the world, but at least I'm sharing my ideas and doing something. My feather headdresses might not be perfect, but they'll do the job nicely for what they're needed for.

Even though I may not be the world's best photographer or crafter, my bloggy friends appreciate my efforts. They see my heart and they encourage me. Friends are nice like that.
I made all those friends by being kind, by encouraging others, by looking for good and commenting on that. 



Listen Ms. Mean, there's enough meanness in the world. You might make some friends if you try kindness for a change.

But if kindness is a bit of a stretch, I was always taught, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
You might like to try that sometime.

By the way, I forgive you for leaving me a mean comment. I figure you're probably having a bad day/week/year and were just taking out your frustrations on a random stranger.
All the best with the blogging and the "being kind"...


Yours Sincerely from





P.S. As you can see I have removed the photo which offended you so much. I admit I did look pretty haggard in it, but it had been a long day.

As for the rest, well, I admit it would have been better if my small model had cooperated and given me a proper smile... but sometimes kids just don't want to perform like seals, ya know?

So yeah, not the most brilliant piece of photographic work I've ever done, but certainly not worthy of being called "the most appalling on the internet".

I mean, really! there's far worse than that out there in cyberspace. But I won't pick on any, because guess what? That would be mean.



.....................

This was the first time anyone's left me a really mean comment. I could have ignored it, but I felt like I needed to "stand up" to this mean bully, for the sake of my confidence.

Have you ever had a mean comment left on a post? What did you do?


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