If you have something to say, say it......especially if it's nice

A co-worker came up behind me last week at work and gave me a hug. When I turned to see who it was, he immediately started to tell me he was having one of those days where everything seemed to go wrong. He said he felt more calm and relaxed after seeing me because I always seemed calm and relaxed. He told me something that for a large part, I did not know about myself. Sometimes at work I feel rushed and frazzled, and thought I was exhibiting that, but he perceived me as being calm and relaxed in the face of chaos. It was utterly amazing....Mike told me something about myself that I wasn't seeing, and immediately after, I DID feel totally calm and relaxed. I've been in this mellow, calm, relaxed mood ever since. I found myself aspiring to, and becoming what Mike's positive words implied about me. I learned that as much as we need to get most of our identity, and sense of self, from within ourselves, we find a lot of who we are in the eyes of others. We tend to become and aspire, to some extent at least, to other's perception of us, both positive, and unfortunately, sometimes negative. So in the spirit of the holiday season, I would like to be so bold as to suggest a gift for everyone to give. That is the gift of kind, honest words. Please tell someone, anyone, something positive and kind, they may or may not know about themselves. I know I will remember Mike's words and the effect they had on me long after I've eaten the last of my Christmas chocolates. And to think I asked for a rake for Christmas.