say what you mean...and say it in love

I think one of the best pieces of wisdom I've received and worked to apply to my life has been this:

Life is too short and precious to withhold complements when you have them to give....or to cling to your possessions too tightly.

I learned this from a woman named Lynda Schevitz, whom i met while singing in the alto section of the choral society. I learned from the few years of sitting near Lynda, that she often takes hold of opportunities to say what she thinks about people..for the good..for their encouragement!
I noticed that Lynda seems to always makes sure to do so in a fairly discrete manner, not drawing attention to herself. If she likes someone's scarf...she says so. If she notices a certain quality of someone's personality...she lets them know she appreciates it.

She also takes any compliments to her personality or appearance with such grace....that if someone were to say they like her coat..she'd offer to let them use it anytime they want...and she MEANS it! (I say this as fact..because she actually let one of the altos borrow her mink coat for a Chicago vacation a couple of winters ago)

Lynda stands by a standard encouragement and of sharing the gifts with which she's been blessed with others.

I hope to be able to teach this sort of living and loving to those I encounter each day...just like Lynda does.

Can you picture a world in which even just a small percentage of the population began living this way? Lets do it.