Wednesday, January 8, 2014

UBC Day 8 Zeal from a compliment

Day 8 Ultimate Blogging Challenge  and  the letter Z for ABC Wednesday

Oprah's 6th Question

The Most Unexpected Compliment You Ever Got

I will never forget the day in high school when I was driving somewhere and my friend's cute older brother told me, from the backseat, that I had nice shoulders. I had never in my life considered my shoulders and certainly never, ever considered they might be nice. It was so unexpected and so unusual that I was forced to conclude it must be true. What was the most unexpected compliment you ever got? The time your co-worker said, "You know, he's really smart—like you"? The time your toddler heard Aretha Franklin singing and wondered aloud if it was you? Store it up for those times when you really need a random "Nice shoulders!" and the world is not complying.

I really had to think hard on this one. Eventually I thought I would pick one from 2013.

A couple of days ago one of my school friends posted my poem on her Facebook wall and captioned it "Written by my poet friend".


I never thought anyone would call me a poet!  I write poems but a poet just has something more to it.

Some compliments motivate and inspire you to keep moving forward, Some provide you with confirmation that you can achieve what you set out to do.

My friend's compliment gives me the Zeal to keep writing poems. Perhaps someday even publish a book.

Thank you dear friend.

“It is a great mistake for men to give up paying compliments, for when they give up saying what is charming, they give up thinking what is charming.”  ~ Oscar Wilde

May you find the Zeal in everything you do.

Check out these awesome bloggers who are also taking part in the UBC challenge:
  Shilpa  Kajal  Richa  Jairam  Sheethal  Kathy  Swati  Michelle  Nabanita

My previous UBC Jan 2014 posts here

Oprah's questions roundup: Q1  Q2  Q3  Q4 Q5


Drop by my facebook page Suzy's Ilation and if any of your posts needs some tlc, add it to the goodwill thread there and I'll drop by and give it some love.



Warm Regards
Photobucket




30 comments:

  1. Wow! That's a fantastic compliment, Suzy. Agree, encouraging words can be so uplifting, they have the power to change us, inspire us, motivate us, always!

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    1. Thanks Shilpa. Yes, those days when the mind is completely blank, I will remember this and hopefully it will inspire me to keep writing.

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  2. That's indeed a unique compliment. The greatest gift one can give is to pay true compliments and there is no greater booster than this gift.

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    1. Thanks Kalpana. You are so right, it's the true compliment that is uplifting.

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  3. A rather interesting compliment. And Suzy I love how you have coined it which is very different from the initial question I remember. yes we must look at everything with a hint of zeal.

    Richa

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    1. Thanks Richa. When we find that zeal we move into the zone. And now and then we need something like this - unexpected and sweet, that makes us feel good.

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  4. How wonderful! Its really nice to get compliments but more than getting compliments for yourself one is more glad if they are complimented on their work, their creation. So I can understand how happy you must've felt when your friend called you a poet. That sure would've helped you to prove yourself better for yourself.

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    1. Thanks Kajal. That's so right that being complimented on the work we do gives us great satisfaction.

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  5. I have to agree... it feels great when you receive a totally unsolicited compliment. So many times, I find a share of a blogpost with '...by one of my favourite bloggers' and that just makes my day, to be honest.
    It may not mean much to others but the smile it brings to our faces is heaven :D

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    1. Thanks Roshan. And a compliment that comes from a long time school friend means a whole lot more.

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  6. Great post. In the interests of paying it forward I'll try to remember to compliment someone every day :-)

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    1. Thanks Suzanna. That's a great idea to pay it forward. Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  7. Ah! That is a lovely & unexpected compliment! :)

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    1. Thanks Sophie. It was totally unexpected and very lovely. Thanks so much for visiting my blog.

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  8. Great take on the letter Z. Unexpected compliments can be the best. Carver, ABC Wed. Team

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  9. That was a great compliment out of the blue! Thanks for sharing,Suzy!

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  10. 'Nice shoulders'.. that's so very sweet.

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    1. Yep Obsessivemom. i'm sure Oprah thought that too.

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  11. Most of the times a compliment can lift your mood like nothing else can. :)
    I'm sure being called a poet feels real nice. Hope to see that book of hours pretty soon :)

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    1. Thanks Bhavya. I guess when the stars are all aligned, the book will manifest.

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  12. Poet you are !!! Nice take on the question... and I love the Oscar Wilde quote...

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  13. I love that you feel the compliments rather than reject them off-handedly. I am offended when I sincerely compliment someone and they blow it off as if I was telling a lie. Really? I'm not a suck up! LOL

    On the same note...this is a lovely piece of writing with a light touch and yet very warm and very appreciative. I love your stuff...poems and ditties and stories.

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    1. Thanks Jo. I've learned to accept compliments gracefully as if we don't we rob the person who gave it sincerely with the joy of having given it. Thanks for your very sweet comment and for always encouraging me <3

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  14. What an awesome post, Suzy! I think the greatest compliment I every received was when a boyfriend said to me (as we were driving one evening that had a full moon), "You look like an angel with the moon shining on your face." Well, melt!

    Leslie
    abcw team

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    1. Thanks Leslie. The compliment you got is definitely melt!

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  15. It's so wonderful when something we do wit passion is acknowledged, isn't it Suzy?

    May you get many more compliments like these..you totally deserve it! :)

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