Reddit Helped Change This Woman's Life For The Better, All Thanks To Cookies

It ended up being a very wholesome experience

Kylin

• Published in Interesting
• November 1, 2022

I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t ever expect Reddit’s AITA forum to be life-changing for the vast majority of users. Especially as many posts serve users' need for validation, even if they’re surprised by the very extreme criticism they may receive.

Although if you think about it, validation can be a very powerful tool to help motivate folks. If you’re in a bad relationship, for example, someone else's input that you’re not being treated well can be enough to help end that relationship.

In a sense, user girlfieri223 was in a bad relationship - but it was a work-related one. She initially posted on AITA to see if she would be in the wrong if she were to stop baking cookies for her work retreats that have come to expect them from her.

Honestly, without any details, I feel like the answer would be NTA because she was by no means obligated to bake cookies. In the original post, she explained that she worked part-time at a quilt shop that hosted monthly retreats.

As a hobby baker, girlfieri223 loved to make cookies for her coworkers and patrons during the retreats. She eventually was put in charge of cooking for the retreats, with the owners reimbursing her for the ingredients except for the cookies.

It got to the point where she felt like no one actually cared about her or appreciated the time and effort, not to mention the costs, that went into making these cookies. So, before making the final decision to stop baking cookies for these retreats, she turned to AITA to double-check.

Of course, she was rated NTA, and that was that for nearly a year until she popped back up with the best update. Keep scrolling to read the original AITA post and her update, along with some reactions to both posts!

Her original post explained some background about her working at a quilt shop that hosted monthly retreats

Her cookies quickly became the main draw for these retreats, but for as much as they were adored, she was made to feel like she didn't matter outside bringing the cookies

"We will miss your cookies" was her breaking point

When a coworker overheard her telling the owners she was going to be unavailable to work a retreat, they told her that they were going to miss her cookies. Solidifying the idea that all they cared about were the baked goods.

My feelings would have been hurt, too.

A year later, she provided us with the update we didn't know we needed

Following the suggestions of many comments, she brought up the issue with the owner of the quilt shop

Which surprisingly didn't go over well, with the owner trying to shame her into continuing.

I just - wow, the audacity.

OP went back to the comments on her original post which helped her stand her ground on the issue

Even after guilt trips and offers from patrons to pay for the cookies, OP knew the treatment was unfair to her and began to search for a new job.

She needed to get out of that environment and into someplace where she was respected, no matter if she baked cookies or not.

In a surprising twist, OP is a Doctor of Pharmacy and was working at the quilt shop after suffering burn out in her career field

She was able to find a job within a month and started working as a pharmacist at a federal prison.

Get it, girlfieri223!

She absolutely loves her job and is respected and appreciated by her coworkers

She even got her baking mojo back!

Everyone was genuinely happy for OP

A great update, and even better suggestion for a TL;DR

And other bakers commiserated with OP's feelings

Reasonable folks would be appreciative of OP's baking

People are really weird about receiving baked goods

The original AITA post is really unbelievable

Baking is definitely a craft that takes time to hone

As if her update wasn't inspiring enough on it's own, OP was in the comments spreading more support

You can't help but love it

Some people did stop going to the retreats after the cookies stopped, but eventually the pandemic shut them down completely

Sounds like everything worked out for the best.

When something you love turns into an obligation it can ruin it

Truly a wholesome update to lift everyone's spirits

How social media should work - supporting and building up other humans so they can feel better and do better

I'd watch that movie

Coming in hot with the puns

A bit ironic that the folks at the prison are more respectful and kind than those at the quilting shop

Gonna have this song stuck in my head for the rest of the day...

girlfieri223 only continued to show what a stand up person she is

If OP ever stumbles across this, I hope she knows we like her just the way she is

It can really be difficult sharing a hobby you love deeply and have it turn into something that people just expect from you without any hint of appreciation. It’s the guaranteed quickest way to suck the joy out of something.

Honestly, I am so excited for girlfieri223 to be able to rekindle her passion for both her career and hobby. And I really wish she would share her chocolate chip cookie recipe (I looked all through her Reddit history with no luck).

Kylin