Dead Air…

Daily writing prompt
What was the best compliment you’ve received?

Honesty is always the best policy, and I’d like to be as forthright in my answer as possible. I cannot actually come up with any compliments, from off the top of my head. I’ve not lived a life that taught me how to recognize this thing we call a compliment. I have not lived a life that offered any humans that cared to offer any great words of affirmation toward much, if any, of my behavior or character… it’s actually been quite the opposite!

Oh, I’m sure that I’ve been offered positive comments here and there, but none have ever felt either sincere or useful enough to carry me to any great height… I’m just being completely honest!

Nothing my parents ever said, came with a behavior that backed up the words draining out of their mouths!

I had a great many men drip words of insincerity in my direction, with nothing more than selfish or nefarious purposes in their minds!

There was no one to push me into any academic or career direction, with words that might lead me to believe that I was smart in any form!

My entire life has been a fight, pushing against adversity from every single direction I looked! I was discouraged from having children, but I did it anyway! I raised three daughters, served in the church til I bled, homeschooled my girls while simultaneously working side jobs housekeeping, and getting a college degree… while cooking, cleaning, paying bills, and serving in a miserable marriage for 16 years. When I divorced… the only reverberating words offered by friends, family AND church was… “well, you left!”

For anyone who may have offered a compliment to my person, I thank you for your kindness. I apologize if I’ve not shown any gratitude for said compliments, but I stopped expecting or even looking for them when I was eleven!

I don’t wish for you to think me bitter, as I’ve moved away from that place of loneliness and sorrow. In honesty, I’ve only one compliment that would be worth anything and everything, but alas, I’m not home yet!

With whatever time I have left on this earth, I shall strive to live a life worthy of my Gods approval, to the best of my ability . My heart yearns to hear the only words that will matter… Well Done My Good and Faithful Servant! Just sayin…

Here, have a cookie…

Maybe?

What was the best compliment you’ve received?

I am not sure if this can be considered a compliment, but what if our best compliments are the ones we never hear, or even know about? In my experience, words can be a double edged sword, when it comes to being complimented. Therefore, I think I want to believe that maybe the best compliment was the one I never needed to hear. My hope is that, if I leave anything behind me on this journey, it would be the fragrance of goodness, that has simply overflowed from within this cracked and worn vessel! Besides, I await the only compliment that matters, for me anyway. I trust God will be saying something like that to me when I get home. Don’t we all really want that, deep down?