Complimentary

I'm never really sure how to take compliments. I'm really quiet and reserved. While I like to pretend that I enjoy being in the spotlight from time to time, I really don't like to receive attention when I do something right or do the right thing. To me, it just seems that doing what's asked of you, or even going above and beyond, should be its own reward. I get embarrassed when someone feels it's necessary to heap praises on me when I really feel like I haven't done anything to merit that kind of attention. At the same time, I am extremely appreciative when people pay me a compliment. Even if I don't feel that I deserve it, I know that such words often come from a thoughtful and caring kind of place. Unless the compliment is from a fake kind of person. But I'm pretty careful not to surround myself with fake people. Been there, done that.

I've received a number of compliments in my life. After recently receiving a high compliment from a friend I met through church, I've decided to rank the top 3 compliments that I've been paid over the years. Here they are, in specific order. That's the order of how I've ranked them, not the order in which they were received. I just wanted to clarify that...

1. "You remind me of your father." I realize that this statement may not be a compliment for everyone who receives it. I consider it a compliment because my Dad was awesome. Some kids I've known will probably hear that someday and think, "Man, my dad was strung out on meth for the first six years of my life..." I don't say that to be morbidly funny. It's a sad fact in a lot of kids' lives. And it may not just be meth that's a problem. There are a lot of bad guys out there who have procreated. But I digress. My father was a great guy. In fact, I'm convinced that I picked up the best traits of both my parents. I'm not saying that makes me a perfect person. Far from it. I just got a pretty good head start with the personality they passed on to me.
2. "You say more funny things in a day than I say in a month." This one came from the lips of a girl I go to church with. We had gathered at a mutual friend's home for a frank discussion about Islam and how Christians can cultivate relationships with our Muslim neighbors. Fascinating conversation, by the way. I don't remember what I said while we were standing around before we got to the evening's topic, but whatever it was must have been kind of hilarious. For someone to kind of say, "You're the funniest person in the room," it must have been funny. (Yes, I realize she didn't actually say I was the funniest person in the room, I just assumed it was implied. I also assume it was implied that I'm the funniest person in just about any room. I say "just about" because it could happen someday that I'll find myself in a room with Bill Cosby and Robin Williams, at which point, it would be a complete toss up.)
3. "You are so adorable." I'll admit, I haven't heard this one since I was a small child. I take that back, I have heard it recently. But it was used in the past tense. As in, "You were so adorable." Were? What's that supposed to mean? By using the past tense, you're kind of saying that I'm not adorable anymore. I find that to be mildly offensive. Hey, I may not turn heads when I walk down the street; I may blend in with the wallpaper when I find myself in awkward social situations; I may purposely camouflage myself so that no one can see me when I get overly anxious around people I don't know. But I'll have you know, I am a freakin' adorable wallflower.

So... Those are my top three. What kind of compliments have you received? Let me know in the comments below!

Oh, and I should also mention that, while I'm not very good at accepting a compliment, I'm even worse at taking criticism. So if you have a problem with anything I said in the above paragraphs, keep it to yourself. Thanks for reading!