i often feel that ive rushed through a reply and left out something important... im glad for these discussions and having an opportunity to re-address...

s-e... i really get where you're coming from.. before my "fall" i was in 8th grade... a small town, sports were everything...

those of us who didnt make the team were like the girl in Janis Joplins ode to the ugly duckling... we recieved the leftovers...

i didnt feel real anger or resentment, but, i was sad that this is how society is... i was realizing that this is how life is...

there is a faction of people who encourage a "cream of the crop" mentality in society and the realization hit me that i didnt fall in that group..

maybe thats when i began to understand about compassion...

but, whatever my logic was, it ingrained on me the determination to avoid the vanity trap...

i observed the lucky ones who always had the neatest hair, the nicest clothes, who hung out with the beautiful ones and had all the neatest toys and friends... and the way they overly complimented each other on their unbelievable self glory...

i just didnt want to be that way... so i shunned compliment..

as ive grown, for not only the reasons posted above, ive realized another reason why it is beneficial in a full circle way to accept the gift of compliment...

one with "eye" has observed a trait and chosen to bring the trait into vision for others ... by placing this human trait into clearer observation, the many are able to hold and admire its good contribution and honor its place in our society... idealistically, its the trait which is honored, not the person...

we often complain that the news is always bad, that bad things are always taking place in our world.. yet, when given a chance to embrace something good, for ourselves and others, we are likely to turn away... a healing thus denied the many...

in a word, if i fail to honor me, who you've honored, i fail to honor you... that is harmful to all ..

i encourage all here to accept a valid compliment, wear it with a sense of self worth, not vanity, and allow others to aspire...