So often people compliment the way I look, and it always feels wrong. It's one thing when I just got a haircut, but every time I wear a strapless dress, someone comments on it.
"You look really good in that dress." "You're so lucky you're confident enough to show off your shoulders."
What else can I say except "thank you"? It feels so uncomfortable to take credit where I don't deserve it.
Now when someone compliments me on my cello playing or on my writing, those words feel so good. The compliments I remember the most are about things that I've spent hours, days, weeks, months, and years working on. Sitting in my room for four hours every day, practicing, gets kind of lonely from time to time, so it's nice to know that it's making a difference.
"Your solos sounded lovely today." "Great job!" "That was pretty." "I really, really love this poem."
And one of the best compliments I've ever received... last weekend I had a solo in my youth orchestra concert. After the dress rehearsal the day before, some people told me that I sounded nice, but was a little quiet. I worked on making my sound bigger without letting it become any less beautiful (one of music's biggest challenges). Then after the concert, one of the trumpet players said to me,
"When you started playing your solo, it was so loud, I thought it was the whole section playing."
I've been on cloud nine ever since!
