So I’m standing at the bus stop last night after a nice meal with some lovely colleagues and out of the blue someone said;
“You look just lovely and so fluffy”
Normally, at 11 o’clock in Brighton you would just pass this off as a drunk staggering off West street. But the lady who stood in front of me was very different. She was mid 50’s, very smart and a bit arty in appearance.
“Thank you,” I replied a little nervously.
With a big smile she continued, “Where have you been to looking so gorgeous.” Slightly stunned I answered her and then politely asked where she had been.
“I’ve been to an art exhibition but no one there was as wonderful as you!”
Just then her bus arrived. I was still quite stunned and simply said, “you are very kind.”
I’ve never been very good at taking compliments. Why do we find it so hard? Part of me thought she was away with the fairies and one of those odd ‘cat type’ women living in La La Land on chocolate buttons and Spam but part of me felt touched.
I suppose it was just so out of the blue. I can’t imagine walking up to a stranger and telling them exactly what my thoughts about them were.
As I sat on the bus smiling to myself about this slightly odd lady it struck me. She was AUSTRALIAN. Of course! I hadn’t placed her accent at first but then I got it.
I have never met an unhappy Australian, they always seem to be glass half full, cheery characters. In fact, some of the nicest people I’ve come across have been Australian. I’m sure they have their fair share of arse holes but generally they seem happier than Brits and look far more on the bright side of life.
Maybe it’s growing up in the sunshine.
This lady could of course just been a bit mental.
What ever.
Anyway, I think Australians are lovely.
X
a field somewhere 
Gotta agree. I’ve never met a miserable Aussie!
The sunshine has a wonderful effect on people! Plus, in Oz there is a HUGE space, with not many people sharing it, so they aren’t having to compete for it. It’s the lack of having to play by the ‘survival of the fittest’ rules that keep Aussies happy I think. Having enough personal space to feel content is really important to happiness. And Australia’s distance also means it doesn’t feel the pressure to compete on the world stage – it’s just happy to be tucked away from it all quietly getting on with things in the sunshine!
And having kangaroos skipping through your back yard would put a smile on anybodys face!
X
Exactly. That’s definitely a reality in Canberra! x
What a lovely thing to experience 🙂
Aww how lovely!!
Not that I’ve met many Australian’s but they do always seem so happy!! It must be the sunshine x
How lovely!
I think I might be a bad lady living on chocolate buttons and spam when I’m older! 😉
I do try to pay people compliments but you’re right its not something we normally do to strangers! I find myself in changing rooms butting in and telling people when I like what they’ve tried on though! (Maybe that’s just nosey haha)
I’ve never been good at taking compliments. It’s just so unnatural to us isn’t it. Maybe that’s why it feels so weird when you get one.
And yes, if you gave me a compliment in a changing room I would think you were weird!
Surely we should just be able to give compliments out freely.
awww what a lovely lovely lady!! itsnt that such a nice thing to say.
thanks for linking up with #MagicMoments x
Most welcome and thanks for having me.
I must remember to give out more compliments to strangers in the future. People already thing I’m pretty strange so perhaps this is a good habit to get in to.
X