I walked right up to a complete stranger at the swimming pool last week. She was talking with a girlfriend and I sheepishly interrupted her. I said,
“This is going to sound really stupid, but I promised myself a while back to never suppress a nice thought. There are a lot of moms here who are trying really hard to be sexy, supermodel moms, but when you’re out there in the pool playing with your kids and laughing, you’re authentically pretty.”
And I meant it.
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“The gospel teaches us that true beauty is more than skin-deep. A young woman whose countenance is aglow with both happiness and virtue radiates inner beauty.” — Lynn G. Robbins
“This Light of the Spirit cannot be faked. All of the theater lights and stages and camera trickery and Photoshop manipulation may convince the unaware that artificial light has the same effect. It does not. Artificial light ends with the flipping of a switch. It is merely a backhanded tribute to Light. Christ is the Life and the Light—the Light that lightens hearts through thick and thin.” — Truman G. Madsen
Diapers and Divinity 
well, that was very nice. 🙂 I’ve been trying to do that, too. It’s hard to actually do it, though. So good job on successfully walking yourself over there and saying it!
Good job! I will bet you made her day!
I feel a little silly like I was trying to toot my own horn. That wasn’t my point really; I just wanted to say that we all need to give each other more credit for being the “real” kind of beautiful.
As a mom of three daughters, I think about this topic all the time. Sometimes it’s hard to focus on the real kind of beauty with all the other stuff that goes on around us. To me, being truly beautiful is one of those understated things, like having the kind of “Christian Courage” that Elder Hales talked about last year in General Conference. I bet you made her day!
(I guess I’ll add a link (or really a copy and paste thing) in case some of your readers have no clue what I am talking about.)
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-22,00.html
Awesome. That honestly takes guts. I am HORRIBLE at sharing compliments, even though I frequently think nice things about others.
p.s. today’s my anniversary and I posted part one of my love story today. 0
You are such a great person.
BTW, I haven’t forgotten about the project, I just got sidetracked. I’m having a bit of a hard time finding specifics, but I will send you some links tonight or tomorrow.
What a good example you are to me…I’ll be looking for someone to give that compliment to.
And this is why you’re awesome. I’m trying to do better about voicing the nice things I think, because really, what’s the point of letting all those compliments rattle around in my head where only I can hear them?
You made her day! This story reminded me of a quote by Sheri Dew
“No amount of time in front of the mirror, will make you as attractive as having the Holy Ghost with you.”
Love your honesty!
The best person for doing this in my life is my 16-year old daughter. She is so good to pay those kinds of compliments to complete strangers. Such a good example to me!
I love giving compliments. It embarrasses my children, but it’s so fun! If the lady who takes my money at McDonalds has pretty eyes, or nice hands, I always tell her. Sometimes people look at me funny, but normally, they seem genuinely grateful for the compliment.
What you said though? That’s awesome. And I love that quote that Kim mentioned… I heard someone say once that as she watched all the kids pore out of the middle school, her eyes were easily drawn to those that radiated with Gospel light.
Never suppressing a nice thought is an outrageously lovely idea!
You didn’t just make her day, you made mine, because I can’t wait to adopt it. 🙂
There really is something powerful in understanding true light and how precious it is in the dark. Well done my friend.
Blessings,
C~
Hey Steph!
What a nice thought. I bet she was glowing the rest of the day.
What a lovely thing to say. I bet she was so touched. I have always loved it when strangers said something complimentary to me.
You are so sweet! That was such a nice thing to say to a stranger. I’m going to look for ways to compliment others..Thanks!
I love that you say such nice things to complete strangers. I bet that really made her day!
What a nice lesson to remember. Who doesn’t like to receive compliments? Thanks!