A few weeks ago, I had lunch with a dear friend. Over chicken salad and surrounded by elderly early birders, we caught up on springtime life in each other’s lives. Diet, farming, exercise, family, writing, sex, money and marriage were all discussed in not-so-hushed tones at what I have come to think of as our monthly paper cup confessional.
At one point in the conversation, I don’t even remember what we were talking about, she said, “But, K, you’re so calm and strong.”
I’m strong ? Me ?
This statement has hung with me for weeks, partially because I tend to decorate myself with the compliments I receive like good grades on a refrigerator, but also because I was moved. When I look at my friend, I see a strong woman. Maybe not calm, but strong. Strong enough to support her family and run her own business. And yet she’s gifting me with that label? Me, who constantly fears her own stupidity and shortcomings?
My friend, who is not at all calm, is indeed very honest. Which makes me wonder how others see me. If I were to gather my closest friends, lasso them with Wonder Woman’s Golden Lasso of Truth and ask them to describe me, what would they say? Would I be shocked ? Devastated ? Alarmed ? Proud ?
God, I still have the hots for her.
Most of us strive very hard to be a certain kind of person – what ever that may be. Wouldn’t it be interesting to find out if our loved ones saw us in the same light in which we constantly try to paint ourselves?
Your turn: If you could get a guaranteed honest answer out of your best friend, what would he/she say were your best and worst qualities?
And let’s leave the “Why do you even care?” comments behind, shall we?
I’ve already stated that yes, I am that shallow.
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Best: Sense of Humor
Worst: Self Esteem
Worst – self esteem
Best – abilty to see the good in people
I chetaed, I emailed her.
I know what my friends would say because they’ve already told me…numerous times…
They’d say that my best quality is my bullheaded tenacity, and that my worst quality is my bullheaded tenacity.
best quality: my loyal heart
worst quality: my lateness
LOL!! I don’t even want to know what they are saying about me…
I know what I’d say about you:
Best qualities – strong, level headed (most of the time), sweet, honest, wonderful mom, terrific friend, conscientious
Worst quality – insecure (in your own mind)
Best: enthusiasm, energy, sense of humor, drive
Worst: enthusiasm, energy, sense of humor, drive – I go into overdrive and I’m sure I annoy the daylights out of people
As for you, Momma K, your best qualities are your quiet strength, your cool headed-ness, the deep love you have for your family and friends, even new friends… your worst quality? You don’t have a “worst” – just work on pumping up your self esteem and ditching the self-doubt. The world is your oyster, sista.
Good question.
BEST ~ Compassion & love for family and friends
WORST ~ Too controling
(ouch, that hurt to admit)
My best friend would tell you that my best (and worst) quality is that I am honest and brutally so. She both loves it and hates it about me :-)
And I think you are very strong. A strong person is someone who knows and admits their own faults but still strives to get past them. And honestly, from what I’ve read…that is you.
Gosh, for some reason this is a hard one. Honestly, I’m am too tired/busy/overwhelmed most of the time to want to know what my best and worst qualities are.
I’m not sure what I’m striving to be. I guess I just strive to be stimulated and balanced and to feel those things in my heart, and to feel everything in my heart.
My husband is my best friend. I think he’d say my best and worst qualities are that I am feisty. I’m sure other people see me differently.
You, my dear, are wht I knew you were so long ago, loyal and warm. The mama lion.
And very steady and calm.
I would not describe you as insecure at all. At least, no more than the any of us.
Recently a friend’s Mom passed away, and well my first thought was to run over with food. After the funeral the note she sent me made me cry, she wrote ‘your kindness comes easy for you.’ I really hadn’t thought of myself as kind, but I sure did like she thought so. Frankly, people usually think of me as sarcastic or funny (or both at the same time).
I read the best thing a person can strive to be is the person their dog thinks they are.
Best: my kind heart
Worst: I don’t take care of me first.
:yes:
Kimie would say that my best quality is my trustworthy-ness and my ability to take care of things no matter how tough the situation.
My worst quality would be that I rarely give anybody the benefit of the doubt or a second chance once they have crossed me the wrong way.
:giggle:
:thanku: for asking! As I lay in bed last night unable to sleep because I was worried my latest post was offensive, I would love for a friend to say my strongest point is my self-confidence. Unfortunately, the friend might say that I worry too much about what others think of me.
Best: capacity for empathy
worst: temper
Oh, my friends tell me all the time.
My worst quality is that I’m insecure. And tied with that is stubborness.
I don’t think they’ve ever told me about a ‘best’ quality…
Somewhere.
I know I’ve got one.
Hmm…i had a similar moment not long ago when I was passing along a conversation I’d had where someone had asked me if I was shy at all. Before I could speak, my good friend laughed quite loudly and heartily, which shocked me.
Because I used to be quite shy growing up and so I still thought of myself that way. She gave me back a lot of “are you kidding mes?” And I realized then that my perception of myself may be entirely different from how the rest of the world really does see me! But, here goes with what I think my friends might say:
Good: Funny, active, driven, compassionate, honest
Bad: Forgetful, scatterbrained, 5 minutes late to everything