I’ve received three lasting compliments in my life. I will never forget these compliments and I like to repeat them…so if you’ve heard them before ignore the rest of this.
The first one was when I was 15. During the summer I was in rehearsal for my second ever civic show. As part of the marketing for the show, we marched in a parade. At the start of the parade, a younger girl, maybe 12, came off the curb and asked me if I had been in the show last summer. I had, and she remembered me. She remembered me, a chorus girl. I will never know who she was, or what made her remember me.
I think this compliment speaks to the part of me that wants to be memorable and special. Not the everyone is special, but the selfish kind of special. Doesn’t everyone have a bit of that? Even now more than twice that age, I still want to be special. I honestly think it plays more than a small part of why I continue to write these posts.
My second lasting compliment is very simple. It is the people that have chosen to know me, and the people that didn't have a choice but like me anyway. The love I receive from my friends and family is a gift. I am selfish, sarcastic and often judgmental. Fortunately I have a highly developed “filter”. This filter prevents most of my less than generous thoughts from turning into speech. I credit my parents for this filter, by the way. Because of this filter, I hear myself described as kind, thoughtful, etc… That is a lot to live up to and I fail every day, but these people love me inspite of my many failures. That brings me to the best compliment I’ve ever received.
I was 25-ish. There was a new hire where I was working and she had a difficult time telling myself and another woman apart. My boss said, “That’s easy…Elaine is the tall one, and Mary is the feisty one.” He may never know what a great compliment I consider that. He could have just as easily said “short”, but he didn’t. He said I was feisty. I do feel plucky and resilient. I am quick to speak my opinion, quick to debate my position, and sadly quick to take offence. So this compliment spoke to the part of me that wants to be true to my character. It didn’t give me anything to live up to. I couldn’t possible fail that perception of me, because it was a fact.
Thank you, Mystery Girl. Thank you, friends and family. Thank you, Frank.
I would love to know the best compliment you’ve received?
2 comments:
I have received many compliments in my life. But the compliments I cherish most are in regards to my character. I have three favorite complements and I feel they are interconnected. (1) I have a friend of 25+ years who was asked by one of my potential employers if I was trust worthy. His reply was simple and deeply affected me; “A world where I couldn’t trust D is a world I would not want to live in.” (Integrity and Loyalty) (2) Happened today. I have been deployed for almost four months and have partnered up with a guy I never met before, MAJ N. MAJ N told me today he was talking to his wife B last night on the phone and she asked what kind of person I was. He said he told B that I was the kind of guy that if he left a penny on the floor or $100,000 he knows it would be there when he returned. He told B that no matter what, D will always do the right thing. (Integrity and Honor) (3) My favorite was just a couple of months ago. While talking with M she told me the following (H wanted to change our last name to Monkeypants so I will use it here for anonymity purposes): “L and H were talking in the car. When L asked H a question H’s answer was; ‘That’s what we do. We are Monkeypants we always do the right thing.” (Good Influence and Role Model) I have never been more proud of myself, my wife or my children than after hearing that. We have done great M. I like to take a little credit but most of it goes to you. We ARE Monkeypants and we ALWAYS do the RIGHT thing. HooAh!
When I was in high school I had a coach describe me as having a blue collar work ethic. That's always stuck with me and made me proud.
And this year, more than once, the boys teachers have complimented me on raising such good boys. That's probably the best compliment I've yet received.
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