I Can Never Be Too Rich Or Too Thin

I was visiting with my family this weekend, and I was repeatedly reminded how I am the family failure. Even though I own my own successful business now and own a home now, they never let me forget that my first attempt at running a small business failed and I ended up having to file personal bankruptcy because I got divorced, and my business imploded several years later.

This weekend, my father was teasing me about my weight. It's definitely a case of the pot calling the kettle black, as my dad and stepmother are both obese. My stepmother is dieting, and I think she's joined Overeaters Anonymous. She's become weird about food, though, and has decided that there are certain foods she simply will not eat.

My skinny younger sister is in town. She's still in the post-pregnancy weight loss phase, and of course my parents had nothing but praises for her. Her youngest is 18 months old, and she's still nursing.

"You look so great!" they all exclaimed, while shooting me several eyefuls of disapproving looks.

I know, though, that I've always been too fat in their eyes. When I was on the high school swimming team and weighed 118 lbs, I was still too fat.

Yesterday, I ended up joining my family on a museum trip. I hadn't planned on going, but when they stopped by the house I changed by mind at the last minute. Because I wasn't planning to join them, I didn't get breakfast yet. I hadn't eaten since about 3:00 PM the previous day. We didn't eat while we were at the museum, and because of the long car trip I opted not to have a snack while everyone was eating in the car. I had my gallbladder removed a number of years ago, and sometimes eating on a very empty stomach will trigger horrible cramps and diarrhea. I didn't want to risk needing a toilet where none was available.

We ended up going out to dinner, and because of potty stops for the kids and snack stops for everyone else, we didn't eat until close to 5:30. I was starved, so I ordered an appetizer, as I'd had nothing except for water for more than 24 hours. I offered to share, but there were no takers, and I endured the disapproving stares when I started eating. I boxed half of my entree as soon as it arrived, and got more disapproving looks.

In their eyes, I'll never be too rich or too thin.