How about “May I help you with that?” May, not can. We know you can. And, you wait, after asking, for the answer, while looking the person in the eye.
I find the comment, “I hope you enjoyed doing that yourself,” to be a totally unnecessary and rather patronizing thing to say, bringing her back to the previous situation, where you did something for her that she didn’t want you to do. Let it go! It’s not about you!
I appreciate your perspective. What may not have fully come through in the writing was the warmth and shared humor in that moment between us. In person, it felt connected and lighthearted rather than patronizing. But I can understand how the wording could land differently when read outside the full interaction.
I appreciate your perspective also. As someone who is in the same age bracket as the woman you helped, and someone who has also had a younger person take over something I was about to do, just because I’m “older,” I think I’m in a better position to appreciate how your comment landed with her, in spite of how it may have seemed. She was clearly very gracious about it but, given how sensitive you are, I offer that it was ageist, if not patronizing. Food for thought?
How about “May I help you with that?” May, not can. We know you can. And, you wait, after asking, for the answer, while looking the person in the eye.
I find the comment, “I hope you enjoyed doing that yourself,” to be a totally unnecessary and rather patronizing thing to say, bringing her back to the previous situation, where you did something for her that she didn’t want you to do. Let it go! It’s not about you!
I appreciate your perspective. What may not have fully come through in the writing was the warmth and shared humor in that moment between us. In person, it felt connected and lighthearted rather than patronizing. But I can understand how the wording could land differently when read outside the full interaction.
I appreciate your perspective also. As someone who is in the same age bracket as the woman you helped, and someone who has also had a younger person take over something I was about to do, just because I’m “older,” I think I’m in a better position to appreciate how your comment landed with her, in spite of how it may have seemed. She was clearly very gracious about it but, given how sensitive you are, I offer that it was ageist, if not patronizing. Food for thought?