How often do we see something we like, or appreciate, or enjoy, but don't express the sentiment out loud to others?  For me, this answer is "often" and to tell you the truth, I share compliments and comments out loud (and to strangers) A LOT.  Still, there are many occasions that I make a note-to-self and never utter a sound out loud because I feel too weird.  Sometimes that's valid, but probably more than not I should just say it because...

I have two examples to prove how it can make someone's day.

Carter, my husband, took both girls for a stroll in the neighborhood to the cafe for "treats."  He got Lilah a cookie treat.  Carter got a "beer-treat" as Lilah called it when she was reporting on the outing later.  Carter reported that when they were outside at the cafe table, a man who had been sitting next to them, stopped by Carter as he was leaving and said "I really like the way you parent.  You're a good dad."  Oh my god, was Carter on cloud nine the rest of the day or what?  He almost seemed to glow from the inside.  Clearly in this case, it meant more that a stranger said he was a good dad than if I had......

I was the lucky recipient of the next example of kindness.  When I picked Lilah up from day care yesterday, one of the teachers said "in all my training I'm warned of crossing the personal/professional relationship with parents.  I shouldn't do this, but here." and she handed me an envelope with my name on it.  I opened it last night and was buoyed beyond words.  This gal must have heard some of my stressful comments about work because here's the card she gave me:

These recent experiences remind me of an Art of Kindness newsletter on sharing spontaneous compliments that I wrote a few years ago...clearly, some things never change.

Live Kindly,

Emma!