Have you ever been called pretty or handsome? It's really nice. Has someone ever told you that you are in great shape or noticed that you work out? That's always a good thing to hear. Has anyone ever mentioned that your hair, eyes, or smile is gorgeous. Such a confidence booster.
But....has anyone ever told you that you have a kind heart, or that your laugh is infectious, or that your positivity brightens their whole world? Has anyone ever told you that your ambition is inspiring or that your passion for life motivates them too?
Which is more important for you to hear?
I prefer the second of the two, and here is why.
Someday when I achieve the greatest success in one of my passions, I hope that people talk about my will and my work, and not my talent. I hope they talk about all of my setbacks and failures and lowest moments that pushed me towards the top. I hope that they find adjectives to describe me that reflect the person that I have grown to be because of my love for something.
Someday when I leave the workplace for the night, and my bosses are having their afternoon coffee discussions, I hope that that mention me. I hope that my name stands out. And I hope they don’t mention all of the paperwork that I have filled out recently or the hours of work that I have simply gotten done this week. Instead, I hope that they talk about how much I love my job, and how they can see it everyday.
Someday when I am with a group of old friends, reminiscing over the good old days, I hope that someone tells me that I haven't changed a bit. And when they say that, I hope they won't be referring to the way that my face has stayed wrinkle-free or that my hair is still the same color that it was back in college. I hope that they mean that I still act young and fearless and eager to change the world.
And someday, when I meet the person that I’m meant to fall in love with, and I ask them what they love about me, I hope they describe my heart and not my face. I hope they tell me about all of the little things that make me, me. I hope they mention small quirks that most people miss. I hope the adjectives that they use are all things they’ve learned from watching me live, and not the features that I was born to live with.
And someday, I hope that I can look at the whole world this way. I hope I can really look at people without looking through them. And ironically, I hope that I can see them for all of their attributes that can't be seen at all.
