Compliments

This week - while meeting with a large group of people from our company
I had a very sweet encounter.

One of the men I work with

who is

well - -he's rarely if ever serious
and
I don't think I've ever heard him pay anyone a sincerely compliment ever

told me

that he was proud to be my friend -- and so proud of me for the work that I'm doing with the girls

and

I was deeply deeply touched by it

normally

well

normally compliments about the fostering don't make me feel that way

it makes me feel one of the following

• Like you're saying my kids are a burden - which makes me want to tell you to fuck off
• Like you're really saying, "you're a nut for doing this -- no normal person would do it"
• Like you're telling me that I'm wonderful - at a time when I feel like a huge imposter  - which makes me feel guilty that I'm not living up to it.

but

he just made me feel that I've been seen as a whole person

because I know he values me as a coworker

as a resource

as a source of comedy and funny come backs on Facebook

but

to have him tell me that he's proud of me

and proud to be my friend

really touched me

and

made me take a minute to be proud of me too.