My husband and I went to a show last night, and I was so nervous about the seat. I've avoided all shows for the last two years after I went to a Prince concert and had to ask for handicapped seating because the regular seats were too small or, really, my backside was too big to fit in them.

Guess what!

After 81 pounds, I fit just like everyone else! I acted cool, of course, but I was thrilled inside.

until...

A woman who weighed perhaps a bit more than I did four months ago tried to sit down two rows ahead of me. She had to be miserable all night. She sat forward and tried to act like she just needed to stretch her back, but the true story was all too apparent to someone who had lived the same experience such a short time ago.

How I wanted to give her a hug and tell her that there is a way out of that misery! My journey is far from complete, but the band has totally turned my life around. I wanted to share the answer I've found. I guess I just wanted to reach out a hand and pull her out of the pain I saw on her face and felt in my heart.

and yet..

I realized it would be in poor taste for me to approach her. If we had bumped into each other in the ladies' room and had started talking, that might have given me a window. It didn't happen.

Please share, do you approach others in situations such as this?

Congrats on your NSV, and it shows what a caring person you are that you felt for that women. Maybe one day she will also be able to have an NSV like you.

Congrats on the NSV but no, I probably wouldn't approach someone else about something embarassing like that. She knows the reason she can't fit in the seat and...just like we used to do, she was probably trying to pretend the situation didn't exist.

Even though it would have been well-intentioned, a conversation about it would've probably made her feel more embarassed. That's just my opinion.

However, if you knew the person and had talked with them about weight issues or were close enough to bring it up then it might be a different thing to mention your band and the success you've had with it.

Good question to bring up though, it was something to think about!

Yes I knot them to well ... thost darned theater stalls, I call them torture vices! But congratulations...you go girl! I probably wouldn't approached the unfortunate woman either...I mean just think back to how we felt then and how mortified we would have been had someone from out of the blue who we didn't know started to try and talk to us about our weight...I mean no matter how encouraging they might have been trying to be...i know I would have taken offense and felt humiliated and mortified. But one day...who knows you might just come across someone, who, when the time is right, a few carefully chosen words would be the inspiration they need to reclaim their life too! As you are.

becky

i wouldnt approach anyone either. i think about approaching people all the time, but just cant imagine doing it.

great job on the NSV! those seats really are tough to slip in sometimes!!

Congrats on the NSV! I hope you are tracking all of them in one place, but we know that's my song and dance

It is such a difficult place to be in, wanting to help another find a way out of the misery we know they are suffereing, contrasting with not wanting to add to their misery.

Part of me wants to tell everyone about the band, and yet the rational part of me knows that this isn't such a good idea. Thanks for the compassion!