Dear Weight Watchers,
First, I want to apologize for not writing sooner. Life became busy and I pushed this to the side. More so, I would like to apologize for not taking speaking up the evening this happened. In this digital age, face to face confrontation is rare but it is the way it should be. And really, I got scared.
I want you to know how grateful I am for your program. The first time I joined I lost almost 50 pounds! I felt great and had a greater awareness of what I put in my body. Your program has helped so many change their lives for years. Thank you.
I wanted to write you about the very last time I went to a meeting. It was the evening I quit. At the end of the meeting, the leader passed out a headless (meaning the top of the picture was cut off, not an actually headless person. If so, it would have been more that my last meeting) obese woman. He said, what are you thought? I listened to the group cut this defenseless woman down.
"She is disgusting."
"She is uncomfortable."
"Uh, I can't even look at her!"
Then a woman shared that she was recently on a cruise and saw many people "like her" gorging themselves.
At that moment, I became aware of where I was. A meeting where people who are overweight and obese come to support each other in losing weight. I became overwhelmed by the judgement. There were a lot of plank filled eyes looking at a defenseless speck. I am a judgmental person. I don't want to be but I am. In that moment I was very convicted of my judgmental life. I hate that part of me and I fight it. Sometimes successfully and sometimes not. The moment felt rude, unkind, boastful...everything that love isn't. I left the meeting feeling very hurt and sad for this poor woman. Did she give permission for that picture? Was she in the meeting? The leader was a man so it wasn't him. Does she know what happened? I wonder what she is like? More so, I was angriest because I didn't stand up and defend her.
I felt I needed to write this and let you know why I left. I never gave a reason for my departure and I like to leave things with joy. We cut and tear people down all the time based on a moment in their lives. Never taking time to understand or see the backstory. I do it all the time and I hate that side of me. If only we saw each other as God does and in these worse moments loved people like He does.
Again, I am grateful for your program and pray you have continued success.
Love,
Veronica
P.S. When I saw the picture, I judge her too and I think I wrote this more for me than you.
