15 Day Challenge – Day 15

Is it really over?  Like for reals?

  

Wow.  We’ve actually done it.  15 different prompts in 15 days.  I want to thank Sar for hosting this, thank everyone who submitted questions for us to answer over these past couple of weeks, and thank everyone who’s participated.  This was like the perfect mixer for a newbie like me.  This is the final prompt and this one hits a little close to home for me.

Well there are actually two that have made a big impact on my life.  One was said to me my freshman year of high school and it brought me out of my shell as far as guys go.  I’ve always been an outgoing people person, but I used to be pretty shy around guys.  I was always that friend that they went to when they needed girl advice, not that girl that they got advice for.  I was told at a young age that I didn’t need a man to validate me, to let me know that I was beautiful and that I was good enough to be with in a romantic way; but sometimes it helped it hear that.  Well, my first serious boyfriend (you know, not the type who just carried your books to class for you and sat next to you on the bus in middle school) was the one who brought me out of my shell.  He was a junior when I was a freshman and was gorgeous!! He actually held a position in band (yes, I was a band nerd) and as far as I knew I wasn’t in the guy’s radar.  Well I was wrong.  I didn’t realize that he’d been flirting with me for months until I was feeling really down one day and expressed to him that I wish I could have a relationship like this other couple in the band, but that I was sure that no one would ever see me that way.  He grabbed my hand, looked me in the eye and said “You’re beautiful, inside and out, and any guy who can’t see that is a fool.”  He then proceeded to tell me how he felt about me and we started dating.  We were only together a few months, but they felt like an eternity and he was the sweetest guy ever!  He even learned how to play my favorite *NSYNC and Justin Timberlake songs on his trumpet and would serenade me randomly.  Cheesy, I know, but that’s how we were.  I’ll always look back on that relationship fondly.

The second compliment I received that impacted my life in a major way was recently.  I was discussing what I’m studying in school in front of a group of people and a friend of a friend told me that “If anyone has the strength and courage to change the way the government goes after organized crime, you do.  Give ’em hell.”  I didn’t even know this girl very well, but her words almost made me cry.  That little bit of encouragement goes a long way.  In fact, that’s become one of my mantras when I’m feeling a bit discouraged about school and career things.  

I’m a firm believer that there’s power in our words, and sometimes all you need is a little something said by the right person to get you through a tough time.