He called his wife in the UK and was overwhelmed with positive things to say. This family had never had a family portrait done before and he bought it from an auction item I had given as a donation of "Hope for Starving Children." His words of boasting and bragging about how fabulous the images are and how he had to get this and that because he just couldn't pick and had to have them all. He complimented me over and over and I was sitting right there feeling like I was successful and had completely fulfilled my quest for customer satisfaction... It was a good night for me. It never occurred to me this was for free ~ because the words he spoke were priceless.
The next day I had a father call from a daycare shoot I had done a few weeks ago. He was rude from the beginning of the conversation. He was unhappy with his image and I offered to let him come here and pick out a different pose but he wanted his money back and I agreed, but in the end he had to dig a little deeper and say something that really hurt my feelings. I took 129 kids at these nurseries that were 1, 2, 3 and 4 years old and were petrified of me and my camera and balloons and assistants.... I knew I couldn't please everyone and was prepared for that. But was it necessary that he make that last rude comment? It ruined my day. It ruined my week.
My Mother is 84 years old and in her 70's she told me when she was a senior in High School her basketball coach called her a nincompoop! She had never forgotten. 60 years later she still held that negative jab in her heart and soul.
We can be told our whole lifetime positive things about yourself, what your good at, compliments about your kids or physical appearance, or just random acts of kindness sent your way, but the one negative stab, hurts you worse than a thousand positive remarks. We are all guilty of saying things we shouldn't!
Our tongue is our worst weapon. The words and swords we throw from our mouth can harm a soul for a lifetime. The beautiful things we can say to others can calm and flourish a soul to grow, but one sharp comment can stay with us forever. I am going to commit to constantly compliment my husband, and friends, random ladies in purple shirts in the grocery store that look pretty, the nice street sweeper, GOD, teachers and especially my children.
Let's be remembered as someone that noticed "the good" in this place called earth.
1 comment:
Ah, so true, one misplaced comment can stab us to the core. Many years ago at a football game, I overheard a random person that I did not even know say something ugly towards me. Forty years later, I still remember it, as if it were yesterday, and it STILL hurts. Sounds so silly at my age, I know. Thanks for the reminder of the power of our words, be it good or bad.
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