It’s not everyday that you get a compliment, but when they happen it can be beautiful.
Many thanks to the Redditors who responded. You can check out more answers from the source at the end of this article.
1. I’m usually pretty quiet around family or people I don’t know. My wife’s family is ruthless with the constant “does he not like us” crap. One time grandma said “why are you always so quiet?” And right as I’m ready to answer my wife said “he’s just stoic.” A save for me and a discreet dig on grandma. That’s why I married her.
satisfried
2. I remember the exact date in 1991. I was 19 and working a crap job 500 miles from home and I was thinking about suicide in a calm, measured way. I was on my way out of a grocery store (where I had pilfered a tube of raw cookie dough so I could eat that day).
Instinctively, I held the door open for an older lady behind me. She didn’t say “thank you”. She stopped, looked me square in the eye, and said “you’re very sweet. Follow me. I’m going to make you dinner.”
She made me follow her home, and cooked me dinner every night for the rest of that awful summer. Most of those nights, I slept on her sofa. I went back to college in August, but we stayed pen-pals until her passing in 2002. She saved my life.
Not with the dinners. (She couldn’t cook for crap.) She saved my life by acknowledging me.
ChillingMarmoset
3. My high school English teacher told me that he waits to read my essays until he has a coffee and time to relax. He also told me he will occasionally walk around to show other teachers the jokes in the essay.
That made me want to be a writer. He’s probably the greatest teacher I ever had, and one of very few people I want to make proud.
BryceWasHere
4. A friend asked me to hold his oversized drink while he was driving.
“Sure man, no prob.”
“Man, you’re like the nicest person.”
“Thanks, I try to be.”
“No, that’s the thing – you DON’T try to be, you just are.”
kernunnos77
5. I went running for the first time in the hopes of trying to lose some weight. This lady walking her dog saw me nearly keeling over because I was so exhausted, and said to me, “You’re doing an amazing job, don’t give up!”
I’ll never forget it, it gave me a second wind and suddenly I could keep going.
crazymrrainbow
6. The most memorable kind comment came to me directly after a funeral from a widow who was moved by the music I had played for the service.
She said, “I came into the church full of sorrow, and left full of joy because your music was uplifting and inspirational, not the typical dirge-like music expected.”
Later that week, after the funeral, she mailed a “thank you” note which included a check for the music fund in the amount of $25,000.
Back2Bach
7. Waiting for my order to be taken at the drive-thru on Starbucks I started singing along to the radio, when the song ended the girl on the intercom said
“Wow, I love your voice, I have no idea what you said (the song was in spanish) but you sounded so sincere”
To this day, it’s my go to memory when I’m feeling down for whatever reason.
KaiaAndromedaBlack
8. I was (and still am) working through grief. I felt like I was barely surviving, and my boss told me, “you at your worst is still better than some people at their best.”
Shoesfromtexas
9. “You look just like a painting”
It had been raining all day. I had just spent the last hour at the DMV, and at this point I was setting up for another hour at the social security office.
The woman next to me was very… put together. Sitting up straight, really nice clothes. She was talking to a man who I assume was her husband. She kept turning and glancing at me and it was making me feel a little self-conscious. I was tired, my hair was in a side braid that was starting to get frizzy because I had been rained on.
This lady was immaculate, and I am beside her looking like a wet dog. She suddenly reaches out, placing her hand on top of mine, “You look just like a painting.”
…
It could have been a backhanded compliment, but I choose to see it positively and it made me feel good leave me alone.
GingerSnappd
10. Being the only (and youngest) girl working at a cafe run only by Greek man in their late 20’s/30’s I was definitely picked apart and made to feel pretty dumb with every little mistake. One day this lady pulled me aside to explain for a solid five minutes that everyone that works here is rude and selfish. Only to explain that the only reason she still comes is because I have the most beautiful smile and my personality invites her in every time. She may have felt bad that I work with such sour men but I’ll never forget it!
chipbit
11. I was walking around the Smithsonian during a school field trip and this girl my age stopped me and said: “This is probably really creepy but you’re just the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. Just thought you should know.” and walked away.
Fiftydollarvolvo
12. Guy I’d never met before approached me on the street, “Miss, do you have a second for me to tell you something? I’ve seen you around downtown for a while now, and you just always look so confident and sure of yourself, and I just want to say that I admire that and I hope you never lose it.”
oh-mylanta
13. I have some minor anxiety disorders. Mostly I think about stuff I said in conversations with others and I wonder if there was some inappropriate content coming from me that maybe hurt someone.
I talked with a female colleague (I am male) about this and asked her if I said anything wrong that made her feel bad or something and she simply replied with “I think you could never say anything mean to me”.
That’s a single sentence, but it makes me feel good thinking about it until this day.
_number11
14. “You made this place feel like home.”
In high school I met a foreign exchange student from Italy about halfway through her stay in America. When we first met she told me about how alone she felt in America and how much she missed everyone back home.
We had a “thing” for several months before she went home. A couple days before she left she told me that and it made me feel so good that I could bring her a little happiness and safety in a place so strange and far from home.
WhitePartyHat
15. I once had flowers delivered to my office and the card said, “I know I will never see you again but I wanted to thank you for changing my life”.
I had no idea who sent them, but I’ll never forget it.
Hurray_for_Candy
16. My very heterosexual boss (male) told me (also male) that I was a “beautiful man” and should take up acting because I have “that look.”
There is something flattering about being complimented on your looks by someone who’s sexual preferences don’t dictate that attraction.
Idrinknailpolish
17. “You look good.”
I was on my way to catch the bus home from school. A random girl just stopped and said it to me. I am quite a awkward guy so without stopping I shrugged, said “thanks” and started walking faster to catch the bus. Well, at least I think I said thanks, I might have just made a noise.
It is one of those moments I look back at and cringe, but it also makes me feel good because it was the first time (and only time) I have got a compliment like that.
PM-ME_SMALL-BOOS
18. I play on xbox live with a lot of people on overwatch. A few days ago I was in a party with some friends and friends of them.
I was talking about my son and one of the people in the game, a kid of about 14 or so, remarked that he always loves hearing me talk about my son and how the love radiates from my voice and that he can tell how much I care for my kid. It was such a genuine remark and I was really touched I don’t know.
nukagirl
19. My ex, actually right before we started dating, made an off-hand comment that really stuck with me.
We were just walking on campus from the library and were talking about homework and I casually mentioned that CS can be kinda isolating but I don’t mind it too much, I don’t get lonely easily, campus is full of people etc etc and she quipped, “Yea, I like doing things alone too, but I think I like doing stuff with you more.”
Made me feel great. I looked right at her as she said it and I guess she realized how it sounded cause she blushed and smiled, so I said ‘I like doing stuff with you too’ smiling back.
b8le
20. I had a rough time with my peers growing up. I got bullied mercilessly. I WAS that chubby redheaded kid that everyone thought was weird. My hair was big and unruly, I was covered in freckles and I just couldn’t figure out who I was or how to dress. I didn’t fit in AT ALL.
I was at a funeral for the father of one of the kids I went to school with when I was home from university. A bunch of the kids I grew up with were there and one of them came up to me and said, “I just have to say that you are absolutely stunning. Everyone has been talking about how beautiful you’ve become.”
I almost started to cry. I moved 8 hrs away from there because I hated them all so much for making my life bad because I was “ugly.” Still can’t forgive them for everything they did, but to know that they regret it makes me feel so much better.
joanhallowayharris
21. Had a girl break up with me years ago and one of the last things I said to her was “I hope you remember me well”. Few years pass and I get an email from her, she’s moved across the country and was thinking back on her life.
Said that she does think of me from time to time, and always does remember me well.
She’s on the other side of the country so it wasn’t her trying to get back together, she just wanted to let me know.
mousicle
22. Someone creeped my account and did a 90% accurate job of identifying my job, sexuality, and other things. I corrected the one part they didn’t get quite right, told them a relevant story and congratulated them on their work, as I had been posting for several days and thus they had a lot of crap to sort through.
They replied with this:
You just made me realize how ashamed of myself I am that I wanted to call out a random internet stranger. Really, WTF is wrong with me?
I, being a huge dick, called you out, and you had the grace to compliment me on my sleuthing.
You are a class act!
It kind of made my day to be honest.
SleepNowMyThrowaway
23. Friend said I don’t speak until I have something intelligent to contribute. Good to know that I have someone fooled.
philiptheguy
24. It was early morning rush hour in the subway, and I was lucky enough to find a seat. After a few stops a woman came in with her luggage, she must have been on her way to the airport. She tried to rest her body by sitting on her luggage, or half-sitting. So I got up from my seat and said please sit. She insisted against it, but I said I’ll be standing for the rest of the trip. She waited 10 seconds or so to see if I was bluffing, but I wasn’t. So she sat down with a huge smile on her face and said, “we need more people like you in this world.”
It was such a small gesture by me but it made her really happy and probably made her day. And she made mine with that compliment.
Dridier_Dogba
25. I was 17, traveling home on my own on the Greyhound. I had a long wait in a little mountain town, so I sat outside the station and played my guitar and sang. I was playing Heart’s Love Alive and this older hippie couple stopped to listen. The woman slipped a silver bracelet off her wrist and when I had finished playing, she put it on mine. She took her husband, arm in arm, and she complimented my old soul and told me that I had brightened their whole day.
That was 9 years ago. I think about them often and I wear that bracelet quite frequently, it’s one of my most favourite pieces of jewelry.
PerfectProfiteroles
26. My parents got us Guitar Hero for Christmas one year so of course we spent the afternoon playing it. My grandma came over for dinner and was watching us play. My sister was on guitar so I was singing. When we got done the song my grandma told me she really liked my singing and that I had a really nice voice. For some context, this woman was picky as hell and hated almost everything. She never paid compliments she didn’t mean, she’d just stay silent instead. I also wasn’t very confident in myself with anything but I loved to sing to myself, so it meant a lot to me to hear that compliment.
Or when my therapist called me eloquent. I feel like I jumble my words when I speak and overthink what to say, so that was really really uplifting to hear.
pious-highness
28. I was told by a volunteer I worked with that I’m a good teacher, and I have a ‘way with people’.
I never have been – nor do I aim to be – a teacher, but it’s been a long-running joke within my family that I’m apparently awful with people. They don’t mean it cruelly, but I very much internalized that sentiment.
It was lovely to hear that my perception of myself isn’t necessarily how others see me.
Danger_Possum
29. I’ve always been quite an introvert so many of my friendships had only lasted a year or two until I got to university. Back in high school though, I ended up going to senior prom with a platonic female friend that had only switched to my school at the beginning of grade 12. When we were slow dancing at one point during the night, she just looked me in the eyes and said ” I know it’s only been a year, but I feel like I’ve known you forever”. I still get kind of emotional when I remember her saying that.
retro_aviator
30. I was in a writing class in college. I tended to be outspoken and participated a lot in discussions. After class a girl approached me and said “I just want you to know I think you’re an interesting person.”
I had just started going out with someone so I didn’t really say anything aside from an awkward “thanks” though.
urchigold
31. My boss told me I look like little birds help me get dressed in the morning.
hiCousinElvin
Thumbnail Photo Credit: Ariwasabi / Shutterstock.com