(I originally submitted this article to Thought Catalog, but I’m not sure it’s going to be published, which is fine, just means I have to work harder on my writing!)
Celebrations are a part of life, whether you are graduating from school, received a new promotion at work, or entered a new relationship, celebrations are an opportunity to make an event special and memorable with friends and family. However, there are people in your own life that can not help but rain on your parade and try to bring you down in your moment of happiness. Don’t get mad at these people, instead forgive them and throw them their own parade, so to speak, because people who constantly rain on your parade are those who need one the most.
Those who can not wait to bring others down do so because they are jealous of what you have and what you have accomplished. It goes beyond a simple graduation or promotion, but rather they are envious that you have people in your life to celebrate with, people who care and support your goals. Understand that those who rain on your parade do so because they don’t have that same type of support group in their own life.
Trying to bring someone down during their moment of joy is simply mean. However, people do so because they hope that lashing out and putting people down will in turn make them feel better about their life. Happy people are able to enjoy and support other people’s successes. People who rain on your parade are miserable, and more than anything need a friend.
So next time you catch someone raining on your parade, don’t dismiss that person as annoying, or bitchy, realize that they’re in a bad place in life and can probably use a parade of their own. Understand that it’s probably not personal, forgive them, because we should all be happy for each other successes!
A is for Alfredo 