[Zen888]

Tuesday afternoon I have a dental appointment. I do have to have some fillings restored which will require needles...ouch!

This is what is causing me anxiety and paranoia....

A "friend" I have known since I was 4 years old is a dental assistant in the same office but for a different dentist than the one I am seeing.

I am anxious because she seems to have everything going well for her........married, 3 kids, flexible job, big house, still slim many years after high school, still popular...........etc.

Whereas I am not married, have no kids well sorta I have a 6 pound dog, no job, but I own my home, and due to medications I have gained alot of weight since high school. I am worried that if I run into her that she will make fun of me and think less of me because I have gained so much weight since high school.

We are both in out thirties so I am hoping she will be mature and polite towards me if we do cross paths.

I am so scared!

We went to school in grade 1 together.... then from grades 7-12. But we were only close really during grade 1.

[jerrymichele]

Zen I think if you run into her that she will be ok. I have ran into people after school and they are nice to me even though I have gained weight, and maybe have a different life style. She might envy you because you don't have kids or a husband. Raising kids is a hard job.

[VickiesPath]

I have always found, almost without exception, that everyone's life looks better on the outside than it actually is. We all have our burdens. I have met so many people who I thought were living wonderful lives and after I learned more about them I left thinking that my life isn't so bad afterall!

And, people are much less critical than we give them credit for. I wouldn't worry so much.

[digdug]

What Vickie said x100...so so true. When we feel insecure it's natural to think that everyone else is cruising through life, but it's a highly distorted way of thinking. Most of us have something that we dwell on that just makes us miserable, even people who aren't diagnosed with anxiety issues. It's just part of being human.

There are exceptions, but the people who seem to have some sort of indefatigable inner happiness are probably just about the kindest folks around...not the sort that would judge others.

Besides, people grow up quickly after high school...if this person did judge others the way you fear than she would be the one to feel sorry for, no matter how many trinkets she owns.

[Zen888]

As luck would have it I didn't run into her at the dentist office!