Make Someone's Day

I'll never forget a day about 5 years ago when I was living in Oakland.  I was walking down MacArthur Blvd to the playground so my five year old could meet up with his soccer team.  I had my littlest child, only months old in the front carrier strapped to my chest,  I was pushing my toddler, Evan, in the stroller and calling out after my kindergartner, Zack, to slow down.  I was wearing my usual mama uniform: yoga pants, a hoodie, and baseball cap as I was trying to grow out a pixie cut.  I was exhausted and quite honestly didn't feel like going to the playground for the 353rd time that week.  But as I approached the crosswalk a car slowed to nearly a stop and the driver yelled over at me through her open window "You are the cutest mom I ever saw!"   You should have seen the smile spread across my face as I waved a sincere "thank you!"  My mood was instantly lifted. And I thought about that compliment a lot, feeling good that someone in the world had perceived me as a "cute mom."  For those of you with little ones at home, you know how hard it can be to imagine you have achieved anything resembling "cute" when you are covered in spit up and going on 2 days without washing your hair.


A compliment, from a stranger is sometimes just what is needed.  I don't know why, but sometimes praise seems more valid coming from someone you don't know, someone with no skin in the game.  That isn't to say that kind words coming from a friend, coworker or family member have no value, but I feel that the unexpected no-strings-attached compliment from someone you don't know has a different, special meaning.  Maybe it's because so often in this world when you hear from a stranger, it's a negative experience.  Your kids are too loud, you accidentally parked someone in, you're taking too long with your order, the service was bad, you get the idea.  So when the person standing in line with you at the grocery store turns to you and compliments you on what a good job you are doing with your fussy kids, it's a really welcomed surprise.  It makes you feel good not only about yourself, but about the kind person you are interacting with.

So I'm making a point of giving sincere compliments to strangers in the hopes of brightening someone's day, if only for a moment.  Want to try it too??