Giving a compliment

April
Apr 8
4 min read

You have it easily in your power to increase the sum total of this world's happiness. Now! By giving a few words of sincere appreciation.

Dale Carnegie said it this way “Words have the power to build bridges or erect walls. They can heal or hurt, uplift or undermine”. Perhaps, you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say or hear today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime. When you take this to heart, I cannot understand how someone chooses to use words that hurt.

I was recently sitting in one of my Grandson’s rooms, he was reading to me excerpts from his kindergarten code of conduct. He was reading what was acceptable behavior and what was unacceptable. I sat there tuned in and impressed and proud as I listened to his impeccable enunciation of every word! These were not little words that came up in his everyday conversation. This speaks to the care his parents have emparted, they are all such voracious readers. Something our daughter shared with her Daddy. I will remember this moment and cherish those words over the rest of my lifetime. He is such a bright and caring boy. Without spoiling or misspeaking here is a short clip of one of the pages he read:

https://youtube.com/shorts/vKsBgImTbrY?feature=share

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use, it will be measured to you" - Jesus

I am deeply passionate about those who are marginalized and vulnerable in our society – from the bruised, the homeless, and the hungry, to the mentally ill and children facing bullying or adversity. As all of these vulnerabilities I have experienced first hand, It is with immense gratitude that I acknowledge that I am being entrusted by divine providence with resources to manage these endeavors. Through our mantle, “cover it with love” I am reminded of the boundless love and compassion I have been shown and in turn respond in kind to the best of my ability with family, and my circle of friends.

I was recently on a girl trip to South Walton Florida with girlfriends where I shared the video and my personal ministry of “Bringing the Hanky Back”. A simple gesture but part of a larger plan to spread encouragement where I carry and give out hankies with a story about why I am giving hankies.

It's a mission close to my heart, aimed at remembering the significance of simple yet profound elements that some fear are fading in our current culture: family, legacy, faith, values, morals, manners, civility, and authenticity. My dedication lies in preserving these virtues and passing them down like the women in our family that have gone before me. Picture below of me and my cousin June.

Here is the note I wrote to tell the story about why I pass out hankies

“Whether dabbing a baby’s chin, catching a tear while watching The Notebook for the umpteenth time, making the final touch up before a bride walks down the aisle with her dad, or comforting a friend’s deep despair, a handkerchief can hold these memories.

After reading in my cousin June’s journal that a refined lady always carries a hanky of her own, I am bringing the hanky back!

Be peace, be a comfort, be kind, love, laugh, cry, make the most of each moment and if you have your hanky handy, catch that memory and hold it in that little square”

So we were at dinner on Friday night at https://www.oldfloridafishhouse.com/ in Santa Rosa Beach, a family owned restaurant in the heart of 30A, nestled on Eastern Lake showcasing coastal flair. We were staying in the Condos behind, our gracious hostess had recommended and we could walk there! What a delight! Something for everyone including Dueling Pianos in the bar.

After we finished dining, while we were waiting for our check, Janet noticed a woman at the table next to us. She said, 'She looks nice—give her one of the hankies you brought. So I did. The woman was so touched, she rose from her table and gave me a big hug. My eyes caught her husband’s and I can see his mouth say “thank you”. From there, we went into the bar. It glowed with the lights of sunshine beaming from the souls of bride-to-be and friends, some swirling on the dance floor and laughter echoing off the walls. Everyone was dressed in a joyful whirlwind of celebration as the dueling pianos played familiar tunes. After meeting the bride and sharing a hanky with her, Janet and I hit the floor to the tune of Piano Man.

It was there that we saw our new friend from the dining room. We twirled and broke out our best dance moves as we looked to see her husband filming. If you are reading this now, we would love a copy! Like those moments with my Grandson, I will remember and cherish how we twirled one another under our arms with laughter. It was unexpected, and full of joy and in my mind, it made the whole bar feel like a dance floor in a movie scene.

The weekend continued wrapped in music, a tiny bit of mischief, and hankies!

Here is what our AirBnB hostess wrote: “Thank you for the note and hanky. I absolutely love it. It brought tears to my eyes (redacted text). God bless you and come see us anytime”

PS – if you would like to share your story, maybe how this blog made you feel, or you were another hanky recipient, I would love to hear from you, pray for you and add your story to the others I am collecting and use them to encourage or lift others and remember to compliment someone today! It might be the kindest thing that happens to them!