I took a long walk at lunch today, walking around downtown before settling down in
Plaza D'America near my own building. I spent a great portion of that time wondering about one trait I have that separates me from everyone else. No matter how hard I try I cannot accept complements from people. I have never been able to. They start, my face starts burning and I wished they would stop. I have adapted and I usually preempt their praise with an extremely humbling, negative comment. People don't like this - you can see that on their faces. This was the topic of my wonderment this afternoon. Why won't I allow myself to accept their complements. Then it hit me. Complements from ordinary people are like sand bags strapped around your neck. They are meant to hold you down. They are meant to ease your progress. Your own spirit is crying out "This isn't good enough yet!!!" striving to something better. And there they are, the ordinary ones. "Wow, that is really amazing!!" Why? Because it is far greater than they could ever achieve and they don't want to see what your really capable of. They hold you back in the least offensive way they can...by complementing you. Spirits are easily influence. A complement is the easiest way to pacify the natural hunger of a spirit striving toward greatness. No hunger, no drive. No drive, no ambition. No ambition... and well, you're really quite ordinary then aren't you?
Contrast this with a complement from an extraordinarily great person. When they give a complement it is really less of a compliment and more of an exhortation; driving you, spurring you, challenging you to live up your potential. Something inside you resounds - resonates. The mutual respect between two great men is like iron clashing together, forcing each to become something greater than himself alone.
