My virtual fortune cookie came up with a doozie this morning:
“Rarely do great beauty and virtue dwell together as they do in you.”
Sigh, it’s been a while since a virtual random generator, let alone a stranger sitting next to me, shamelessly tried to flatter me.
When I was younger, yes, way-back-then, I was told no matter who the deliver of a compliment is, no matter how dubious the intent was the only proper way to respond to any compliment or flattering statement, is to look the person in the eyes and say, “Thank you.” That’s it. Not one single word more. Do not reject, dismiss, or concur. Do not try to second-guess why someone says something nice, “Thank you” is all that is required. So, that is exactly what I did after reading my virtual fortune cookie’s message.
It doesn’t matter that the message was not written personally for me. It doesn’t matter that it is not true. It doesn’t matter that I don’t even know the individual who wrote that message into the random generator program “Thank you” is what I said.
That's true: accept all compliments equally no matter whence they came!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing your beauty and learning from your virtue very soon ...