Feed the birds

How to pick a college. I can’t smell Mother’s Day

Feed the birds

Do you ever feel like a bird feeder with an empty perch? It’s a rotten way to feel. You’re where you’re supposed to be, doing the things you’re supposed to do, yet no one shows any appreciation.

Yet, you still show up. You continue to be a parent, a spouse, a student, an employee, etc. If you don’t, bills won’t be paid and jobs won’t get done and toenails won’t get clipped. Deep inside, though, you yearn for someone to say, “Hey, I’m really glad you’re here. There’s no one else like you. I’m crazy about you, in a good way. Not a creepy way. Okay, maybe a little creepy, because I’m your number one fan times a zillion!”

We all yearn to hear stuff like that, don’t we? Honestly, complements make us feel special. We want to hear “You’re spectacular!” and “Gee, you’ve got a fantastic butt!” How can we make this happen?

I have an idea. Have you ever played the “Good and Bad” game? It’s easy: everyone talks about something good that happened and something bad that happened in the past 24 hours. It’s a great way to get a snapshot of everyone’s day. If we add a “Heartfelt Complement” to the game, we’ll have the chance to express admiration for the people in our lives. (If that doesn’t elicit one or two complements for me, I might ask my husband to write a poem about my butt.)