Rudeness and The Question of The Day

I like to think I am pretty open-minded to new ideas, new opinions, new people. I try to implant that into my kids. I want them to respect others decisions and really TRY not to judge. I know that is not the case with everyone. I was in Sam's Clublast week with my mother and Alexander. You see every year our ENTIRE family gathers for a big family picnic. We are talking 60 - 70 people here. We invite a few close friends also. We all look forward to it and of course, my mother and I plan everything. The menu, where it will be held, the invitations, the collecting of money etc. So anyway, back to the Sam's Club incident. We are loading our cart with standard picnic food: Hebrew National 100% beef hotdogs, buns, chips, juice boxes etc. Well we know how curious kids say things aloud don't we? There was this little boy sitting in a cart and his mom was pushing and he goes "Mom, can we get some chips?" and the mother goes quite loudly and snooty says, "no, We don't buy chips because WE know they aren't good for us." Now if you don't know that most chips are not good for you than you must have been living under a rock for the past few years right? I was more than a little pissed off that she would actually say that loud enough for me to hear. Why you ask? Because she was being a pompous ass thats why. She was judging my purchases. I get that she chooses to not buy chips but the circumstances for me to buy 2 huge boxes of chips she was NOT aware of. I am very well read on healthy eating. However, I do not judge people for their purchases and I would certainly not loudly tell my child that someone elses purchases don't live up to our elitist high standards.

I think this judgement goes farther than just what she chooses to eat. What else does she assume or judge in her everyday life? I know, I know I probably am reading a lot into this one incident but its not unlike what I see people do everyday (myself included)... judge. It just got me to thinking, its no fun to be on the other end of the presumption. I try to surround myself with like-minded people but I also seek out those who are of different nationalities, races, political bacgrounds, religions and gender than myself. I think to hear different opinions and life circumstances helps you grow as a person and keeps you from being a pompous ass. You start to think your way is the only way and it's not. Where do you think that saying "There is more than one way to skin a cat" comes from? Here is the question of the day....Do all of your friends, look alike, think alike and sound alike? Just wondering.