Avoid The Parade Rainers

So I heard a great story that I wanted to share. In my book, Single Steps: Strategies for Abundant
Living, I talk about the “parade-rainers”. They are the people who never let you bask in your own
sunshine. They always want to rain on your parade. They are miserable and they need other
miserable people to be their company. And they don’t know how to be happy for you.

This is a classic story to remind us of how to deal with those negative people.

A woman was at her hairdresser’s getting her hair styled for a trip to Rome with her husband. She
mentioned the trip to the hairdresser, who responded:

“Rome? Why would anyone want to go there? It’s crowded and dirty.

You’re crazy to go to Rome. So, how are you getting there?”

“We’re taking Continental,” was the reply.. “We got a great rate!” “Continental?” exclaimed the
hairdresser. “That’s a terrible airline.

Their planes are old, their flight attendants are ugly, and they’re always late. So, where are you
staying in Rome?” “We’ll be at this exclusive little place over on Rome’s Tiber River called Teste.”
“Don’t go any further. I know that place. Everybody thinks it’s gonna be something special and
exclusive, but it’s really a Dump, the worst hotel in the city! The rooms are small, the service is surly,
and they’re overpriced. So, whatcha’ doing when you get there?”

“We’re going to go to see the Vatican and we hope to see the Pope.” “That’s rich,” laughed the hairdresser. “You and a million other people trying to see him. He’ll look the size of an ant.”

Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You’re going to need it.”

A month later, the woman again came in for a hairdo. The hairdresser asked her about her trip to
Rome.

“It was wonderful,” explained the woman, “not only were we on time in one of Continental’s brand
new planes, but it was overbooked, and they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were
wonderful, and I had a handsome 28-year-old steward who waited on me hand and foot.

And the hotel was great! They’d just finished a $5 million remodeling job, and now it’s a jewel, the  finest hotel in the city. They, too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us their owner’s suite at no extra charge!” “Well,” muttered the hairdresser, “that’s all well and good, but I know you  didn’t get to see the Pope.” “Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured the Vatican, a Swiss Guard tapped me on the shoulder, and explained that the Pope likes to meet some of the visitors, and if I’d be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me.

Sure enough, five minutes later, the Pope walked through the door and shook my hand! I knelt down
and he spoke a few words to me.”

“Oh, really! What’d he say?”

He said: “Where’d you get that awful Hairdo?