On The Bright Side

I once came across this quote, "Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events and small minds discuss people". I'm not sure if it's by Eleanor Roosevelt since there were several disputes about it (Source).

I always keep this quote in mind because I find truth in it; I believe we don't have to gossip and badmouth others in order to start a conversation with people around us. There are much more meaningful to talk about rather than gossiping about how this someone talks with a weird accent, how this person overdresses to class, how this behaves, etc...

I always remind myself that if we need to gossip and criticise others, and bring others down in order to feel powerful, we are really pathetic.

Yet, we can stop ourselves from gossiping, but can we stop others from gossiping and criticising us? The mouth is theirs, how can we stop?

Today, I feel that this girl in my group is kind of against me. Whenever I mentioned an idea, she will immediately bring it down and give unconstructive comments such as, "this design concept is really ugly". When she asked for suggestions and I told her mine, she laughed about it with this girl whom who is close to in the group. Although I was a distance away, I could hear it. I don't understand why she must laugh at my ideas and criticise it. Is it to make herself feel powerful as if she has an edge over me? Or putting me down makes her glad? Why can't she just tell me directly what is exactly wrong and unsuitable for our project instead of making fun of it to another person thinking that I do not know/hear it?

Does she know her actions will make a self-conscious person like me less confident? Does she know what she did can totally ruin my day? Yeah, I know she didn't directly ruin my day, but... Well...

Okay, look on the bright side, perhaps she's just jealous of me or I'm a threat to her yeah? Perhaps, there's just something that she's unaware of?

Look on the bright side... Ha, who am I kidding?

But still, I'll be fine in a while. Perhaps over a good night sleep, perhaps after some Big Bang shows.

I just read this article on Elvin Ng's blog; I believe he is refering to his father. I felt like crying when I read it; yet, it also cheers me up a little because that girl laughing at my ideas seems so insignificant as compared to all the wonderful things and moments that I have. Life's too short to be so conscious all the time.

I'll get over it, soon.