A few weeks ago, I was sitting in a local coffee shop, and my eyes wandered to a young family sitting near me as I was putting on my lipstick. The centerpiece of the small group was a pretty blonde 3-year-old girl. She had large blue eyes and a coy smile. She was dressed in grey leggings with nickel-size multicolor polka dots, a turquoise fleece jacket, a white flannel scarf with more polka dots, and a beautiful white tutu with a large pink flower at the waist. I’ll call her Lulu to protect the innocent.
Lulu had an 18-month-old baby brother (also blonde) who was having a grand time throwing pieces of his bagel on the floor. Lulu was a dutiful older sister and kept running to pick up the bread from the floor while her little brother giggled and then immediately threw another piece on the floor. After the fourth or fifth jaunt, Lulu sighed and gave up keeping her surroundings tidy.
At the little girl’s request, her dad took her to the bathroom, and I told her mom how much I was enjoying her pretty daughter and her wonderful outfit. The young woman told me that Lulu had assembled the outfit and was very attached to the tutu—which was fondly worn.
When Lulu returned, I told her how much I liked her outfit, especially her tutu. She demurely gave me a big smile and responded without hesitation, “I like your red lipstick.” “Ah,” I thought to myself, “She was watching me, too.” I then replied that I could see that she and I had something in common; we both like to wear color. I asked her if she liked things that sparkle, and she shyly nodded affirmatively. I then giggled and confessed that I did, too.
My take away
After this heartwarming encounter, I have often reflected on how we learn, as little girls, to complement each other. Some of us find it easy to open up to strangers and share words of admiration. In my opinion, a compliment is a gift we give another person freely. The effect of this gift is that we build the recipient’s self-esteem. In other words, with a few choices sincere words, we make someone’s day.
Before I leave this topic alone, let me say that it is important for our well-being to accept compliments that others give us happily. Accept the compliment for what it is – a gift from the heart.
You can bet that each time I put on my red lipstick, I will think of Lulu and the heartwarming gift she gave me on a cold January morning. Thank you, little ballerina! May your life be filled with many people and things that sparkle.
Editorial Update: We strive to keep our content accurate and up-to-date. As part of our ongoing efforts, this article has been moved from Personal Development to INSPIRATION & PERSONAL GROWTH on 09/14/2023.
