How can women empower each other to bloom? There are many ways, but I believe one is learning to pay one another unexpected compliments. Let’s find out what I mean, Darling…
The Virtual Connection
The human population has had no choice but to go ‘ga ga’ over virtual. Virtual connections have taken over from actual connections. It’s Zoom this and YouTube that! Because of the COVID-19 virus, this is the only way people can stay connected to family, friends, business associates, and the outside world.
This is the new normal. I watched my grandson’s graduation a week ago and I attended my girlfriend’s birthday party yesterday; 27 of us on our computers, ZOOMING. Tomorrow I have a family reunion with my 13 cousins from Kankakee by the Sea who live here, there and everywhere. I have become out of necessity a ZOOMER. However, most of you probably have too.
Do I like Zoom? No. Am I grateful Zoom is in my life? Yes. However, I don’t care for Zoom because it is not the natural way for human beings to connect, share, and exchange friendship and love. It never will be unless we are turned into robots.
Zoom is the New Elixir
By far ZOOM is the new elixir. It proves without a doubt that human beings cannot survive without each other. And, we will take it any way we can get it. Thank you, Zoom.
A conversation in our home sound like this:
My Ultimate Concierge asks, “What are you doing this afternoon.”
My reply, “I am going to a birthday party on Zoom. Do you want to come?”
Virtual over reality is the new lifestyle in ‘Elsewhere‘ – the name I gave our new world. We have replaced actual touching and kissing with virtual watching and listening. And, it is very sad.
A Positive Attitude is a Must-Have!
What you must do to survive a virtual lifestyle until COVID-19 is under control or eradicated is to adapt to everything with a positive attitude. Tell yourself you are a resilient, adaptable woman who has the ability to bloom and flower.
Get online and listen to podcasts, participate in YouTube workout classes, Zoom with your movie guru, with girlfriends, take art classes, and travel the world through YouTube. Learn how to order groceries online, go back to college and most importantly keep your family and friendships alive with meetups on Zoom.
But remember… to survive life in a normal manner, mankind cannot let technology mutate. A person’s life is based on live emotional experiences; not virtual.
My Relationship with Barbara Walters in the Actual World
In 2015 I met the remarkable Barbara Walters. It was serendipity. And, I was in the right place at the right time.
I am telling you this story because of its lesson. I wrote it 5 years ago as a message to my daughters and my granddaughters. However, in today’s world, I would not have met her nor had the opportunity to send a life lesson to my girls.
I thought it was an appropriate story to repurpose because it’s based on life before COVID-19.
My Sunday Morning Story
The year was 2015 when the human race lived in an actual world, rather than a virtual world…
A few years ago in New York, my husband, Sheldon Good and I were having dinner at our favorite French restaurant, La Grenouille. It is intimate and romantic and the tables are so close they seem to be hugging. We were seated at a banquet and directly in front was a round table of eight men and women speaking in Spanish, English, and French. They were not boisterous but I could hear the inflections in their speech and laughter to know they were really enjoying their time together. One of the American’s was Barbara Walters.
A Meeting & Unexpected Compliments
My husband proposed a toast to me with divine Champagne, and then said, “After dinner, I am going over to the table and speak to Barbara Walters.”
“You’re doing what? Which woman is Barbara Walters? Why are you going to talk to her?” I asked. I was not wearing my glasses. My sentences ran together and I felt my forehead crinkle up in puzzlement.
“Because I know her. We double-dated a few times 30 years ago. She’ll remember me.” He was laughing.
“When you go to her table I am going to walk towards the door and wait because I don’t feel comfortable accompanying you to the table.”
That did not stop my personality-plus husband who loves to talk to everyone to respond with, “Well, I would normally defer to you but I know it will be fine.”
After dinner, we parted. He went to Barbara’s table and I went toward the exit, a scant 15 steps away. I turned around to see how my Ultimate Concierge was fairing and noticed a hand go up in the air. I knew it was Barbara Walter’s because Shelly had pointed her out. But, I did not move. Again her hand went up in the air waving me over so I slowly walked to her side.
She had a sparkle in her eye. She was attractive and 86-years-old and she was dressed in white, very feminine, and had a warm smile and soft voice.
Then, she asked me my name. I told her, Susan. She asked me to lean down and paid me a compliment that I will always remember. We spoke for a little while and during our conversation, I returned a compliment to her. “You are a woman of substance.”
The Moral of the Story – Compliments Are Key!
Barbara Walters possessed oodles of self-worth, that unfortunately, many women do not have. She had the ability to reach out and pay me an unexpected and lovely compliment. She was able to make another woman feel so happy and I in turn hope I made her happy with my compliment.
I don’t know many women who hand out compliments.
Laying in bed that evening with the lights out I knew the significance of my conversation with Barbara Walters. It was to pass this message to my daughters including my daughter-in-law and granddaughter of the importance of gifting a close friend, a new friend, or a woman you just met a compliment.
The next morning I opened my laptop and quickly sent a short email to my girls: the importance of giving compliments to other women.
The Letter Read…
Dear Girls,
I met Barbara Walters last night. I came away from our conversation with important thoughts on why you should give compliments to other women…
- Take time to fill another woman’s cup. It is good for you and it is great for her.
- Showing kindness to another woman is an asset, never a liability.
- A compliment is your opportunity to make another woman smile and feel special.
- Be self-assured. It takes a self-confident woman to compliment another woman.
Tuck these thoughts into your heads.
I love you to the moon.
Mom/Honey
The Message of Compliments
Reach out today to your friend(s) on Facetime, Zoom, over the phone or in an email and pay them a compliment. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, you will be able to take them out for lunch instead of reaching out virtually.
If you have a hard time giving out compliments practice it virtually. You will notice how wonderful you both feel. After asserting yourself a few times with compliments, you may continue after you leave the new normal of virtual and get back to the real world. Hopefully, you will actually look a woman in the eye when you compliment her.
What was the last memorable compliment you gave or received? Let me know in the comments at the bottom of this page! I want to hear from you, Darling!
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This is such a wonderful suggestion….I don’t know if others have a difficult time giving a compliment, but I do it freely and without expectation. My granddaughter just graduated from high school and was very disappointed not to have the whole “normal” ceremony. I just wrote her a card telling her how proud I am of the young woman she has become – smart, self motivated, caring and beautiful. Of course this doesn’t take the place of what she has lost, but I hope it has boosted her self worth.
Yes, I believe it empowered her. The more honest compliments we give our children and grands the more their self esteem will flourish.I am glad you enjoyed my article. Warmly, Honey
I love to give compliments to other women. It not only brightens their day but the smile on their faces makes my day better too.
Me, too!!!!!! Warmly, Honey