My headline refers to the children’s series “SpongeBob SquarePants.”

If you are unfamiliar with the series, Mr. Krabs owns the Krusty Krab restaurant and serves Krabby Patties.

He is also crabby.

Wikipedia describes Krabs as “miserly, obsessed with money and dislikes spending it. ... He tends to worry about his riches and neglects the needs of his employees, SpongeBob and Squidward.”

I have found most people to be crabbier these days - and social media doesn’t help.

It is so easy to go online and leave a negative review for a business or a service received without thinking what the ramifications of those comments can do to that business.

Such is the case with my hairstylist, who tells the story of a new stylist who cut a gentleman’s hair. Without talking with anyone at the salon who would have been glad to address his concerns, a post was made on the business website about the poor service he received. Why didn’t he just address his concerns with the salon?

A bad post on a business’ social media platform can make or break the business. Isn’t it better to address the concerns personally and have the business rectify the situation?

WPVI-TV Chief Meteorologist Cecily Tynan has also been the recipient of negative comments. I follow her on social media and am amazed and dismayed at the negative comments she receives about her hair, her makeup, her outfits, her stature and her forecasts.

In a post in 2017, a man following Tynan on Facebook left a comment on her social media page, saying, “Eat a hoagie Cecily ur too thin!!!!”

Tynan called out the man as a body shamer and pulled no punches in telling him how inappropriate she felt the comment was.

“How about we just stop body shaming?!” Tynan posted.

“This was a comment I got in response to a photo I posted from lunch with a childhood friend today. Every now and then, I get a post like this. Frankly, I am tired of them.

“I usually explain that, no, I am not too thin - 5 foot, 5 inches, 118 pounds = 19.6 BMI (well within the healthy range.) I have been the same weight, except for pregnancies, for the past 25 years.

“I eat plenty, I eat healthy and I exercise.

“But, why do I have to explain myself? How about we question why someone, in this case a man, will go to a woman’s professional Facebook page to comment on her body?!

“Let’s face it, people come in all shapes and sizes. Growing up, I remember people asking my mother if she fed me because I was so slender (for the record, she did, I ate a lot, her food was delicious!). Now, I see the same thing happening to my 10-year-old daughter. Yes, she has skinny legs (it’s in her DNA). She runs like the wind and eats like a horse. And, I’m hoping there’s a day in her future when people won’t feel it’s appropriate to criticize her body or anyone’s (big or small).

“Love your body. It’s the only one you’ve got. And, when you’re tempted to put down someone else’s body, in person or via social media, remember what many parents taught their children: If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all!”

My mother told me the same thing, but for some reason, people feel entitled to say negative things more now than ever.

Recently, someone cut me off while I was driving and had I not been paying attention, we would have collided. I honked my horn and raised my hands to signify, “What are you doing?” They showed me their nicely manicured finger.

Well, alrighty then.

The same thing happened to my stylist; however, she approached the woman later in a store and, in a kind and mature way, asked the woman why she did that, especially with young children in the car. The woman didn’t respond.

Does she not know children watch our every move and listen to how we handle different situations? This is how they learn.

I like to craft. I made my mom a very pretty wreath made of colored paper, which was hot-glued to a cardboard cake plate. She has had it for years. Unfortunately this year, because the sun beats on her front door, the hot glue dripped down her door.

I went to my crafty social media group, explaining my situation and asking for the best way to remove the glue from the door without ruining the paint. I got some words of advice and some “not helpful at all” comments having absolutely nothing to do with removing the glue from the door. Why even bother commenting if you can’t be helpful?

And I will always refer to an anonymous letter I received here at the office regarding an editorial I wrote. The letter writer called me a “loser,” among other things.

It takes the same amount of time to make a kind comment as a negative one. A kinder approach goes a long way.

An informal poll at the salon showed people are unhinged due to financial difficulties, loneliness, the economy and politics.

I get it. I get crabby, too.

Crabby people can take my mood and positive attitude south in milliseconds, which then affects the entire day. However, I am learning to not respond to the negativity and try to understand the “why” of the behavior.

It is not easy. It is a work in progress.

Debbie Galbraith

editor

East Penn Press

Salisbury Press