Compliments from a stranger.

I’ve been thinking about this for awhile actually. We all love a good sincere compliment, but I’ve noticed, that the ones from family, and good friends, while appreciated and helpful, don’t hold the same weight as ones from complete strangers.

Not that they are less important, we all need support from our inner circle, but there is just something so concrete and organic about a complete stranger going out of their way to tell you that they noticed something good about you. Here is an example I shared on THREADS. Never mind the comments and the tangents they went on, that is a whole other post, about people who hijack the spirit of one’s words, and make it their own sounding-board or soapbox.) Anyway, back from my own tangent! I am getting older. In fact that was part of what sent me onto this topic. When a woman begins to age, they pretty much become invisible. In my experience anyway, and since I am the expert of my experience, that is what I know. Lack of the previous levels of attention, (actually good or bad) tends to make us feel “less than” and “past notice” and even unattractive. IT is a thing. Wrinkles appear, hair changes, (I’ll always be a redhead in my heart, if no longer in the mirror) and skin is no longer taunt. I was on a little trip away home, and went into a mom and pop sort of convenience store. The young, handsome black man at the counter, (opposite than me in all visible categories) was like sunshine. He greeted me with “Hello beautiful!”, and a smile that made me feel like he meant it. When I came to pay, he complimented me sincerely, and proceeded to be the best clerk I’ve encountered. I left feeling well. . . beautiful. While my husband is an angel, and always, ALWAYS tells me I am, and of course my dad did, and my mom, and my sister and her sweet husband, still, that stranger’s unsolicited compliments stuck an unplayed chord in me. So, compliment strangers. It matters. I could used so many other instances throughout my life to further my point, like the lady who got up from her table to ask me if I knew I had “princess hair”. Sincere compliments, even tiny ones, matter. So go out of your way, and you’ll be the one memory that someone ‘goes to’, when they need a boost. ---{--<© MGSKeller