The Problem With Being Bold...

I walked into a beauty store in Altoona tonight looking for eye makeup and foundation. Before I could get to the aisle I was looking for, a woman asked me if I needed help with anything. I told her no, thank you, I was here for something specific and started over to the aisle containing my makeup of choice. She followed me and said that I should buy this other product because I have I have a lot of pink.

I blinked.

“Pink in my eyes?” It’s allergy season. Who knows?

“Pink in your face.”

I’m sure I gave her a look, but I followed her over to the tiny tube of $30 liquid foundation she was trying to sell me. She squirted some out on the back of my hand and told me to rub it in. I humored her and told her I would keep it in mind before walking over to get the makeup I was there to buy.

What was wrong with this conversation? I had just finished a 45-minute workout, thrown a tee shirt on over my tank top and run out to the store. Why did she see so much pink in my face? Well, I think you can probably figure that out, but she couldn’t because she just assumed she knew what she was talking about.

It’s a big mistake to assume you know what you’re talking about. Sometimes it really makes you look foolish, like the lady at the beauty store tonight.

There was another time when I was at a conference and the subject of my cats came up. This woman who was super-abrasive and acted like a complete know-it-all from the minute I met her looked at the pictures of them on my smart phone, rolled her eyes and said, “Ugh! I hate Siamese cats. They meow too much from morning until night. I hate that. Do yours meow all the time?”

I smiled, giving her much the same look I gave the woman at the store tonight. “Not really.”

Why? Because they’re not Siamese. They are Ragdolls. All three of them. Yes, two of them are seal point. Yes, they have blue eyes. But beyond that, they look nothing like Siamese cats. Siamese have bigger ears and a more angled chin than my cats do. But she was so sure of herself I didn’t say anything to burst her bubble and walked away thinking she was really kind of an idiot.

Now, I’m not saying that I haven’t been that idiot many times over. I’m sure my husband could tell you plenty of stories about that, like the time I so confidently walked up to my cousin’s house after my mom asked me if I was sure that was the right house. I told her of course I was sure this was the right house. After all, I have been here before and you have not. I walked up to the door and knocked and some Greek woman who spoke no English answered. I said, “Um, is Cari here?” She called for her grand-daughter who did speak English. I asked if this was the right address and she said no, it’s one house down. Great. Now I had to go back to the van and announce that in fact this wasn’t the right house, a story I’m sure they will never let me forget. :)

My point is that maybe as I get older and see this in myself and others I will get wiser. Maybe I will learn to keep my mouth shut if I don’t know what I’m talking about.  The more I see how foolish it can make you look, the more I will keep it in mind anytime I assume I know something.

I’m going to try. The alternative of looking unintentionally foolish is much worse.

(Intentionally foolish is fine. But those are other stories for other times.) :)