Note the Good

Sitting at a booth in a burger joint with some new friends at 11:30 PM, a question was posed: "What was your first impression of everyone in this booth?" When this question pops into conversation, I always think to myself, "Okay, how honest do you really want me to be?". I've noticed that honesty runs much more freely late at night so I had to make sure to watch my tongue. Not knowing how much is appropriate to share it was suddenly my turn! I answer the question for everyone at the booth until I get to one my new friends and I couldn't stop myself:

"You seemed so confident as everyone gravitated in your direction. I couldn't help but think you have so much potential with your influence".

After I noted the good I saw, I immediately sensed it was way too much. I should have said: "You seemed really cool" or something dumb like that.Thinking that I made everything awkward, my new friend paused, and paused again, and finally said:

"...Nobody have ever told me that I have potential. Thank you".

Usually I'm hit or miss with my honesty but tonight I felt that something good just happened. We would move on and talk about other topics until the burger joint employees  "accidentally" shut the lights off at 12:45 AM. As I was on my way home, I couldn't help but think to myself...

"What if we always noted the good in those around us and share the goodness when the opportunity seems right?"