Everyday Heroes Trump Everyday Haters!

Three years ago I started acknowledging "Hero of the Day" on Facebook. Unbelievably, I received backlash from people who weren't selected on a particular day or weren't selected quickly enough (in their opinion). I know. Unbelievable.

After several wonderful and heartfelt posts, I stopped because I just didn't feel like dealing with the haters.

About a year later, I made a declaration (mostly to myself and God, but I shared with a few close friends) that I was separating myself from all the toxic people in my life.

So, here we are three years later, and the declaration has become a reality. All the haters have unfriended me on Facebook. :-D

My circle - especially my close inner circle - is a wonderful group of confident, upwardly mobile, loving, generous, humble friends and coworkers who don't operate in the world of pettiness and jealousy.

To be honest, it took a change in me to re-align myself with the right people. I was broken, and broken people attract brokenness. As I started healing, growing stronger and confident (again), I attracted people who were on that same path, or who had walked that path already and arrived at a place of secure in themselves.

During my journey, I realized it's not just that "like attracts like." It's also that opposites attract. Victims attract bullies. Naive people attract shysters. Vulnerable people attract those who like to dominate. Different shades or ends of the brokenness scale, are drawn to each other. (ugh!)

I'd been so caught up in people pleasing and only seeing the best in people that I didn't realize I'd attracted a mob of shady characters who expected to be pleased at all costs. Not all of my friends were that way, of course. Just the super loud, ultra sensitive, easily offendable ones.

There are a few "confidence-challenged" friends whom I still consider close. They're strong enough, however, to keep their insecurity in check. They realize it would be detrimental to our relationship to throw shade when I compliment someone else.

With that said, I will resume what was a really wonderful, thoughtful, and appreciated tribute. I will acknowledge my Heroes of the Day, as often as possible!

Constantly Thinking (and appreciating people)... 

I LOVE YOU BACK, MORE, ALSO, TOO!

The following events are based on a true story. Several true stories, in fact…

***

They’ve been dating for a while now. Their feelings have grown. They’re spending all of their free time together. He’s been working up his nerve to say those three words that every woman in love desires to hear. As he hugs her goodbye, it finally spills out...

 “I love you,” he whispers into her ear.

Overjoyed, she whispers back, “I love you, too.”

He pulls back as if struck.

“You love me… ‘too’?” He seems shocked.

“Well, yes. I do love you, too,” she replies with confusion.

“You love me… ‘too’?!” He seems angry.

“Yes…? Is it not okay that I love you, too?” Did she do something wrong, she wonders.

“You love me… ‘too.’ Okay.” He seems hurt.

“Darling, what is it? What did I say?” She’s genuinely concerned.

His brow furrows. “I hate it when people say, ‘I love you TOO.’ It makes me feel like they’re only saying it because I said it. It doesn’t feel genuine.”

Now she’s confused. “Just because I said ‘too’ doesn’t mean it’s not how I feel. Yes, I said it in response to you, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you. If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t feel ‘obligated’ to say, ‘I love you, too’ just because you said it.”

“I just wish you’d say something else, something more genuine.” He’s sort of cute when he pouts. Sort of.

“What would you prefer I say?” she asks.

He thinks a moment and says, “How about ‘I love you more’? or ‘I love you back’ or just ‘I love YOU.’”

She’s really trying to understand. “That would make it feel more genuine to you?”

“Yes. I think so. I mean, it doesn’t have to be that. Just something else. Something other than ‘too.’”

She smiles sweetly. “Okay. I think I understand. Let’s try it again.”

He really loves this woman. He embraces her again, kisses her gently and says, “I love you.”

She kisses him back and says sweetly, “Thank you. I really like you a lot.”

***

Yes, that’s right! There is a new phenomenon of over-sensitivity sweeping through our country – and perhaps even beyond our borders. It’s affecting couples and individuals all over the planet!

People aren’t shocked. They’re not angry. They’re not hurt. They’re…over-sensitive about the word “too.”

So, the next time you hear someone say, “I like potato chips,” remember – you can’t just say, “I like potato chips, too.” Because then it will seem like you only like potato chips because they do. You have to say “I like potato chips more.”

The alternate ending was provided and names were omitted to protect the over-sensitive.