My dad said this to me once when I was in high school... As you can imagine, it sort of 'stuck' with me. I know he meant well. I know he loves me and has always wanted me to be and do my best.
I am sure we all have similar stories to this - times when things have been said to us that hurt... But this isn't what I want this thread to be about. I want this thread to be about the surprisingly nice things that people have said to us in the past. Things that made us feel good. Things that made us feel special.
Here is mine:
Once when I worked part time at Halmark - A woman came into the store. She told me all about her father who was dying and how her family had come together through it all. And at the end of ther story - she complimented me on how compassionate I was to her.
I have a few comments that have really stuck with me. All were told to me when I was travelling/volunteering in Costa Rica.
We had a fellow volunteer who we were having a hard time with. He was really making life difficult for the rest of us. So we staged an "intervention". All the other group members were becoming really negative and hurtful with their comments. So I stepped in and said what needed to be said, but with a positive twist to it. Afterwards several group members came up to me and said something along the lines of "Shan, your so compassionate and insitefull. You know how to get your point across without hurting anyone. We couldn't have had the same affect without your comments."
Some backgroud. I'd just come back to the hostel after spending the day in the ER. I was told I would have to have kidney stone removal sugery in Costa Rica. I couldn't sleep so I was reading in bed. In the middle of the night my friend jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom to throw up. I followed her held her hair back, got her some water and helped her back to bed. She got out of bed to throw up twice more. On the third trip to the bathroom, she's weak as can be and she puts her head in my lap and says "You'll be a good mom someday." That is probably the most amazing complement I ahve ever recieved. I ended up taking her to the hospital, and staying with her until we figured out what was wrong. She had appendicitis (sp). Had I not gotten her to the hospital when I did she would have died within the next 36 hrs.
One comment that really stuck with me: my best friend in high school said "no matter how much weight you lose you will still be ugly." She said she heard someone else say that and thought I would want to know. Needless to say I am not friends with her anymore. I'm not actually sure if someone said that or if she was jealous, but if it makes her feel bad I gained all of the weight back that I had lost in high school. Working now to take it off again.
Hi Ladies!
The nice comments are harder toremember, but worth SO much!
One that really stands out to me though, was from a co-worker. I was pretty new @ this bar/restaraunt...One night I was the only waitress on & we were REALLY swamped. I was NEW & frazzled. The bartender on for the night said "Jodi, don't worry about it, people can see that you're busy & doing the best that you can! Besides with that smile of yours, nobody could ever get mad at you!" It was really sweet & genuine & one of the nicest things I've ever been told. After that he'd always compliment me on how no matter how horrible things were, I always smile & what a good smile. I think of people like that (who are so warm & friendly) & how much I like them...I really love the thought of someone seeing me that way!
Aww, what a great thread to start - thank you, Scraver!
One thing that really sticks in my head is when I was growing up my dad would often say, "Use your head!" I know he meant well, but it translated to me that I was stupid.
Fast forward many years later...My dad stuck his foot in his mouth by saying my oldest brother was basically the smartest and the only one that got good grades. That hurt really hurt because I'd always gotten good grades and thought of myself to be pretty bright. I went to my room and broke down crying 'cause I thought I'd never live up to his expectations/standards. Well, he actually came in and apologized. This coming from a very proud man who hardly ever admitted he was wrong or said he was sorry. (I can probably even count the number of times I've heard him say, "I'm sorry" on one hand. He even went as far as to say he admired my life choices and wished he could make a living doing a job he loved as much as I did mine. That made me feel really good.
Another time was when my general manager at the time (who I admired very much) took me aside to tell me how bright, smart, and funny I was. That meant a lot to me since I knew she had very high standards and was quite hard to impress.
i could care less about the way i look. i have long hair that is highlighted so pretty (cause of the gray,i am only 30 god) and it is always in a ponytail. but i always try to dress my two girls cute. they are always put together with matching bows and stuff. i love to get compliments on how cute they are. Olivia M'lynn is 4 yrs old and Ella Claire is 5 months today. maybe when i lose all this weight, i will care about putting myself together. i walk in a room like i weigh 120 now, so maybe then i will walk in a room and actually look 120 ha ha
mistymed: you're in LA too? Yay! I'm always happy to see people from my own state. I'm in Pineville (Near Alexandria). It looks like you're off to a good start! You'll make it to 120!
The nicest thing anyone has ever said to me has been said over and over by many different people ever since I can remember. I was at my grandpa's funeral a few months ago and strangers said it then, too - and at such a sad time.
Earlier in my life, people saying this over and over got me in trouble with my health. I tried so hard to live up to expectations with everyone's perception of me and it hurt me in the end. After awhile, I thought maybe it wasn't the nicest thing to be said about me at all.
Oh, sorry.. I thought I put it in there! Yeesh. Totally slipped my mind to say the thing. Basically (I don't mean to sound boastful or anything here, I'm not trying to, this topic just reminded me of this) they called me beautiful ever since I was way little. Relatives, friends, strangers, teachers, you name it. At my grandpa's funeral people told my mom I was a classic like Sophia Loren, exotic, and just plain pretty.
Long ago it fueled my anorexia (to remain that way, that is), which killed my health. Now I don't let it bug me as much. If people say it, that's fine, I don't let it get to me. I don't care as much now. I'd rather be complimented on my personality instead, or art (I love drawing), but all people see is what the person is sometimes. That overlaps into a lot of other things, of course, but yeah. Ack this is getting embarrassing to talk about, I'm done. =)
One of the nicest things I remember is when I was working retail I was doing all kinds of things and a woman with this walker thing that was also a chair because she couldn't stand long asked if I could look at purses for her because the displays were in the way and she couldn't get through them. Well, I couldn't find a purse for her so I decided to just move the display, it took all of my strength to shove that thing out of the way, but I did and then I spent the next 45 minutes with her helping her find the perfect purse. When I was ringing her up she asked my name because she said she was so thankful to find someone so nice to help her for such a long time find a purse she loved. Something so small made her day and she went and told my manager what I did. Made me happy that I could help even though it was just finding a purse
So here's one that beats them all...I was making oatmeal raisin cookies(don't ask) with my daughter and when we put them in the oven, she sat down in front to watch them bake. She said "Momma, can I grow up like you?" I melted.....
That is by FAR the best compliment EVER!!!
Last edited by HappyMomma05; 02-05-2008 at 05:45 PM.
Two positive comments I have always gotten have been about my smarts and my smile. It hasn't been till lately that I actually have gotten to believe some of those compliments.
One time that has always stuck with me in a positive (though weird) way was one day a while back when I was in Winndixie buying my mama a Sunday paper. I was in line checking out and this lady in one of those scooters came up behind me and asked me where did I get the paper. The cashier was pointing but I just walked over and got her one. Both her and the cashier just stared at me and was like 'Thank you' and 'that's so nice of you'. Ooookkkk! Totally weirded me out.
Rhighlan86 that reminds me of when I was working at Walmart in california and these two girls came through my line buying condoms. One of the cracked a joke about them being 'slut' condoms and I laughed cause it was funny. Well, a little while later, I'm coming back from break and I see these same two girls talking to a manager. when they spot me, they come over with a bouquet of flowers and give them to me along with a card! Basically, they thought they might have offended me with the slut comment and wanted to apologize. The card they gave me was as pretty as the flowers and they wrote the apology inside and also wrote that I had a 'beautiful smile'. I STILL have that card after 2 years!
Quote:
Originally Posted by HappyMomma05
So here's one that beats them all...I was making oatmeal raisin cookies(don't ask) with my daughter and when we put them in the oven, she sat down in front to watch them bake. She said "Momma, can I grow up like you?" I melted.....
That is by FAR the best compliment EVER!!!
"Nice boys don't like fat girls"
