What Is the Best Compliment You Received from a Stranger

[Jones]

I was out shopping after work about 2 weeks from giving birth to my oldest child.  As you can imagine, I was not feeling at my best - I was tired, grumpy, and gigantic.  A lovely woman came over and said she just wanted to say I looked beautiful, and she was impressed by how put together I looked (it was pretty clear that I was about to have a baby any day).  I thanked her and continued shopping with a much better attitude.  It just really lifted my spirits at a moment where I felt kinda low.

Today I was shopping, and the girl stocking produce said something similar to a very pregnant woman; the pregnant lady was dressed nice, had neat hair and makeup. Produce Girl asked her how she was feeling, could she help, and by the way when was she due; Pregnant Woman said she is due in a week. Produce Girl blurted out that she'd have never guessed, as the woman was so functional at the moment. She then turned red, as the comment had come out wrong, but Pregnant Woman had a laugh and she looked quite content when I saw her later.

[Delia DeLyons]

Once when playing darts with a friend at the local bar, an older man I'd never seen before came over to me, kindly placed his hand on my arm and said "I haven't seen a smile so big as yours since I was a kid at summer camp... It does a heart good to see a smile like that."  It overwhelmed me - how sweet and genuine he was, and the kindness in his eyes - so I gave him a kiss on the cheek and he went back to his barstool, smiling pretty big himself.  :-D

[Seraphia]

Awww, these stories are making me smile.

I just remembered one - I used to work retail, and hated it pretty thoroughly. But sometimes I got nice customers. One day was pretty rough, until I got to a customer that I was ringing out some makeup for. She looked at me for a second, and said "You have really lovely-shaped lips. That's the shape people ask for when they go in for plastic surgery." Which, ok, maybe it was a bit of a weird phrasing, but it made me feel pretty good that day.

[Fleur]

This thread is making me sad. I have never been complimented like this ever

[jpcher]

Thank you, Fleur, for being a member of this forum. I can tell by your posts that you are a considerate and caring person. Your posts are intuitive and often show signs of "wanting to learn."

You are a valuable asset to this forum.

[Fleur]

Thank you, Fleur, for being a member of this forum. I can tell by your posts that you are a considerate and caring person. Your posts are intuitive and often show signs of "wanting to learn."

You are a valuable asset to this forum.

Awww, thank you so much, jpcher! That is such a kind thing to say

[IMissItaly]

One morning I was entering a convenience store and a customer who was leaving held the door open for me. I thanked him, entered and turned immediately to the ATM machine next to the door. Outside, the stranger crossed the sidewalk to his vehicle, hesitated and then turned around and came back into the store. He said to me "You smell wonderful".  I thanked him again and told him the name of the perfume (Ralph Lauren's Romance) thinking he may want to purchase it for his significant other. I smiled all day long.

[BabyMama]

I had a man tell me I should apply for a position at the local "gentleman's club." He was measuring my friend for a suit at the time. I was 18 so I found it complimentary, haha.

[Auntie Mame]

Someone once told me that I had the prettiest smile he had seen all day.  That made me smile even more.

[Mental Magpie]

This was someone I saw in the mall nearly every day but to whom I had never spoken.  I always smiled as I walked past, a nod for acknowledgement that we both worked similar retail jobs and boy was it going to be a busy day.  She stopped me once and said, "I just wanted to say, every time I see you, you're smiling, and it is so beautiful; it reaches your eyes every single time."

The second best was about my hair...I had a mohawk at the time with checkerboards shaved into the sides of my head.  An older lady (70ish) in Wal-Mart saw me and her eyes went wide.  I was sure she was going to make some nasty comment.  Instead she looked right at me, proffered her hand to shake, and said, "I wish I had the guts to do that.  Don't you ever let anyone make fun of you for being different.  They're just jealous that they're too afraid to be themselves!"

[delabela]

I was out shopping after work about 2 weeks from giving birth to my oldest child.  As you can imagine, I was not feeling at my best - I was tired, grumpy, and gigantic.  A lovely woman came over and said she just wanted to say I looked beautiful, and she was impressed by how put together I looked (it was pretty clear that I was about to have a baby any day).  I thanked her and continued shopping with a much better attitude.  It just really lifted my spirits at a moment where I felt kinda low.

Today I was shopping, and the girl stocking produce said something similar to a very pregnant woman; the pregnant lady was dressed nice, had neat hair and makeup. Produce Girl asked her how she was feeling, could she help, and by the way when was she due; Pregnant Woman said she is due in a week. Produce Girl blurted out that she'd have never guessed, as the woman was so functional at the moment. She then turned red, as the comment had come out wrong, but Pregnant Woman had a laugh and she looked quite content when I saw her later.

That made me laugh - I'm glad the lady took the compliment as it was meant! Some days it certainly does feel like an accomplishment to be functional at 9 months pregnant. 

[Gumbysqueak]

Working as a waitress in undergrad an older man was talking to the manager, glanced my way and said "may goodness she has beautiful doe eyes." It touched since the typical comments were not as polite...

[Softly Spoken]

My best compliment as a mom from a srtanger was from a museum tour guide who basically told me that after spending the afternoon with my kids she was ready to agree to start a family with her husband.

From a non- stranger was from my DDs 2nd grade teacher who said my DDs daily journal writing stories made her want to be adopted by us to at least get to come to dinner every night.
*snip*

This is so awesome. All I can say is: what is your secret, and when is the book coming out?

I am mostly posting just to get the updates for this awesome thread. I tried really hard to think of a compliment I got from a stranger...I realized I couldn't think of any. I guess I just fly under people's radars. I give compliments and try to be friendly and polite but I am quiet. Don't worry, I have gotten some compliments throughout my life, but from people I know...
I guess I could say the best "compliment" I got (from a stranger) was Danika's reply to my post on this thread.

[Hmmmmm]

My best compliment as a mom from a srtanger was from a museum tour guide who basically told me that after spending the afternoon with my kids she was ready to agree to start a family with her husband.

From a non- stranger was from my DDs 2nd grade teacher who said my DDs daily journal writing stories made her want to be adopted by us to at least get to come to dinner every night.
*snip*

This is so awesome. All I can say is: what is your secret, and when is the book coming out?

I am mostly posting just to get the updates for this awesome thread. I tried really hard to think of a compliment I got from a stranger...I realized I couldn't think of any. I guess I just fly under people's radars. I give compliments and try to be friendly and polite but I am quiet. Don't worry, I have gotten some compliments throughout my life, but from people I know...
I guess I could say the best "compliment" I got (from a stranger) was Danika's reply to my post on this thread.

Oh, it was just one of those good days when my kids pretended to be angels. They were always great in public and hellions at home. And she is blond blue eyed and he is brown eyed and brown headed but they look so much alike that people were always remarking about their looks. But she did make me feel really good that day.

[Optimoose Prime]

Just last week I was talking with the mother of my son's prom date.  "You know," she said, "as a parent of a girl, I worry about their prom date.  I wasn't worried about anything with J.  I can tell he was raised right."