Debate: That compliment from a stranger in Huntsville that I still think about 10 years later

I was bagging groceries at a Piggly Wiggly in Huntsville, Alabama back in 2014, and this old guy watched me double-bag his eggs without being asked. He just said "you got a good head on your shoulders, kid" and walked out. Part of me thinks it was just a throwaway line to be polite, but the other part swears it shaped how I treat customer service people now. Which side wins out for you - do these small comments actually change us, or do we just give them too much power?

2 comments

2 Comments

linda_dixon4911d ago

Has anyone else ever held onto one tiny compliment so tight they probably wore the shine right off it? I still get warm fuzzies remembering a cashier at a gas station telling me I had "nice handwriting" back in 2008. Honestly, I think we latch onto these moments because they feel genuine and rare, like a little jolt of unexpected kindness that breaks up the boring routine of life. If anything, I probably give them too much power but I figure it's better than dwelling on the rude ones, you know?

robin59111d ago

Hold onto that compliment like a pitbull with a chew toy, man. I still remember some lady in a parking lot telling me my truck was "real clean" back in 2011, and I still wash it like she's gonna show up again for a surprise inspection. Funny how we can forget what we ate for breakfast yesterday but a five-second comment from a stranger sticks around longer than gum on a hot sidewalk. Guess it's just proof that people are starved for nice stuff, so when it hits, it hits hard.