Noticing Good. Sharing Good.

Did I just pick a random picture to go with this post?  Yes.  Yes I did.  This is Dan and Me up in the mountains -- maybe on a Sunday.

Have you ever had someone tell you that you are good at something?  Or that you have a gift for something?  Maybe they mention a characteristic you have when they are trying to find you and can't remember your name.  It is really nice to have someone say what they see that we are good at!  I was reading about this in a book this morning, and it reminded me of a couple of things.

Once, I went to visit my Aunt and Uncle from Missouri when they were staying in Orem.  I was telling my Uncle H.D. about how much it had meant to me when a couple of his kids, David and Danny, would come and visit me in college. David would take me for rides on his motorcycle.  He taught me to lean with the curves and I got to go shoe shopping with him so I could hold the shoes on the way back to Provo.  Even before college they would both would ask me to dance at stake dances and they were tall and handsome and I was short, and somewhat insecure.  What a difference they made to me!  My Uncle then said, basically, "You are good at noticing and remembering the good in people."  I have remembered that for years. I loved, admired and respected my Uncle (and still do even though he has passed on) and it meant a lot to me that he thought I was good at that.  It made me want to be even better at it!  

Another time I was at a large Christensen gathering for a family event.  Maybe a baptism or a blessing of a niece or nephew and so there were people there that I didn't know as well.  When one of them was leaving they asked "Where is the person with the big smile?"  It turns out they were looking for me, to say goodbye!  That was such a thoughtful thing to do, and such a nice way to look for me, and it was a blessing!  My smile has not always been something I have been confident in.  Even though I had braces I still have large front teeth with a little gap between them, and really, when I smile you see gums more than teeth.  How nice for me that when I get insecure I often think back to this nice person who was looking for the "person with the big smile!"  It makes me feel less self conscious, and more willing to share that big smile and hope it makes a difference to someone.

I love people who not only notice good things, but share them!  I want to be like that all of the time!