Random Compliments

A simple, random compliment can have an incredible impact on a person. 

At times, a sincere, positive comment can be a little blessing from God sent through an earth-bound angel to touch a person's soul. It lifts that person up, just when they need a little "boost."

Positive words soothe and heal the soul.

A couple of days ago, my sister suggested a make-up and hair app for me to try. I downloaded the app, took a photo of myself, and started playing with the possibilities. YUGH! I realized once again how OLD I am!!! So, I did what any red-blooded american woman would do, I took a few more pictures, trying to get one that didn't show so many wrinkles!!! I loaded that picture, and eventually figured out how to erase the under-eye circles and blot out most of the blemishes! Yea, me! Then I "softened" the skin, removing many of my wrinkles. Hmmm, I was really starting to like this program! 

After I had a semi-decent photo, I started playing with the hair possibilities! Well, I found out quickly that I'm way too old for Cookie-Monster BLUE hair! After trying several hair styles, and ALL of the hair colors, I found a style I liked, and luckily, my hair is the right length to try it! Since I already color my hair, I chose a color similar to my current color!

So...  next, I started with the make-up. Hmmm.... I mentioned that I'm nearly 50, right? Well then, that means that I learned to apply eyeliner, eye shadow and mascara in the late 1970's!!!! Yup, BLUE all the way! Since then, I've tried to follow the trends, but some of them... o.k., most of them, work best for the "less than thirty" crowd! I've stuck with the same technique and colors that I've used for ... at least 25 years!

As I looked at the pre-made choices in the app, with names like Island, Tropical, Ocean, Breezy, Butterfly, I realized that they were...  exotic! ... and for the "much younger than me" crowd!!! 
Since I was on my private smart phone, in the privacy of my own home, I decided to try the virtual makeups the app offered anyway! So, I would choose a make-up, like Butterfly, and then zoom in on each of my face components, like eye or lips to see how they applied it and the colors they used. Lime green mascara? Fuchsia eyeliner? I don't think I could wear that unless it was Mardi-Gras or Halloween!!!

I was having fun with all the beautiful colors, and after trying out a couple of dozen of their make-up choices, I finally found a couple that I liked on my EXTREMELY photo-shopped face! So, I modified those a bit, and I saved a couple that I liked. YEA ME again! I studied how the app applied the colors and promised myself to try the techniques the next time I went somewhere. One of my favorite little ideas was to use a bright white on the inner corners of the eye, top and bottom, and then place a touch of bright blue on the inner edge of the eye. Cool. It even brightened this "old lady's" eyes. Who knew?

Yesterday, I went shopping, which is something that I rarely do. I am disabled (major heart and lung problems accompanied by an amazingly stubborn auto-immune illness) and I live with extreme fatigue and chronic pain. I live pretty far out in the country, which I love, however, it's about a 30 minute drive, one way, to the closest department store. Normally, when I go to town, I make a list. I ride with someone patient enough to take me, which is usually my husband. I buy whatever is on my list. And I go home. I simply don't have the energy to walk through stores and look at all the gorgeous items, and I absolutely dread the extra pain it causes. 

However, yesterday, my husband had an appointment at our insurance agent's office, and I decided to get dressed and ride with him. I wanted to see some of the new spring clothes and check out the perfumes. I really, really need a new fragrance. I don't know if it's my body chemistry changing or my sense of smell, but the perfumes that I used to wear don't appeal to me any more.

Well, I tried some of those "new" makeup techniques, including the white and bright blue in the inner corners of my eyes, and I even tried to make my hair have "soft waves" like the style I liked on the makeup app. When I looked at myself before we left, I felt really self conscious. I almost stayed home but I left my house wearing the "new" makeup, thinking, "Who really looks at a fifty year old's face?"

Well, feeling self conscious, I went into the store. It's the kind of store where each brand of cosmetic lives on it's own little island and is protected and dispensed by a trained sales associate wearing her island's uniform and promoting her precious products. Feeling intimidated and self-conscious, I immediately turned and went to the clothes sections first, avoiding the frontal assault of the "Island Guards."

After shopping for a few minutes in the clothing section and making a trip to the restroom to reassure myself in their mirrors, I went towards the makeup islands, floating in the center of the store. I glanced around and decided to begin with a corner island, since it contained a brand of perfume I used to wear, and was temporarily unguarded. I tried a couple of fragrances and nothing really appealed, so I went to another of the islands which housed two of the perfumes I used to love. 

As I was looking at the bottles, and trying to decide which new fragrance might work for me, one of the sales ladies (aka- Island Defenders) walked up and asked if she could help. I told her I was looking for a new signature fragrance. She suggested a several and even showed me where to look. She hovered while I was spritzing and smelling, then I noticed another sales clerk walking over. ('Oh, no,' I thought, 'An Island Protector is invading another island!' Perhaps this one have the other a subtle signal for immediate backup!) (Yup, I smiled at this thought!) And the two ladies stepped away a few feet to chat for a moment.

They weren't speaking softly, or trying to make their conversation private, so I could easily hear what they were saying. (It wasn't anything bad, just about some new spring clothes they wanted to buy.) One mentioned that over half of her wardrobe consisted of tights, which she wore with long tops and boots. I turned to see what she was wearing, and .... yes, it was tights, with a long sweater and boots! So I laughed... out loud. 

When I laughed, both ladies looked at me, smiling. (If they hadn't been smiling, I'd probably would have run from the island... quickly!) But, they were both smiling and seemed very nice. Out of the blue, one of the sales clerks said, "Your hair is absolutely beautiful. The color and the loose waves looks so nice on you. And your skin is just, just perfect." She paused, then added, "And your make-up is incredible."

I smiled and nodded demurely and said, "Thank you." I wanted to jump up and down and yell, "You think I look good? THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! YOU are the make-up sales lady, and YOU complimented  ME on MY makeup?"

I turned back to the perfumes, thinking how much time I'd wasted this morning worrying and feeling so self-conscious. Then this one lady was able to make me feel so good about myself with just a few kind words! I finished shopping with a smile, and I left the store with a huge smile!

Later, after I got home, I remembered what the sales clerk said, and it made me feel good all over again. As I was dozing off to sleep, I remembered her compliment and smiled again, and when I woke this morning, her compliment was one of my first thoughts! I am nearly fifty years old and when I look in the mirror, I see all the wrinkles and blemishes. I see the "age" spots and the droopy eyelids. I'm constantly comparing myself to the 16 year old girl I used to see in the mirror! But I'm still alive. I am blessed to be aging. I wake every morning and I can still try new trends and new hairstyles and I can hold my head up proudly, wrinkles, age spots, and even occasionally....sporting a little bright blue eye shadow!!