The Silver Lining

I suppose this is another way of saying that every cloud has a silver lining, yes?

When I was a single mom working at the county courthouse, there was one co-worker that I just could not get along with. She had such a superior and cranky attitude! Working beside her was an "awkward situation." [Understatement!]

I decided that I wanted to change the dynamic. So I played a game with myself. I decided that I would watch her and find one good thing that I could honestly compliment her on. That made me stretch, and it took a little while. But by the end of the day, I'd done it. If I remember correctly, it was something as simple as complimenting the new way she wore her hair ... something like that.

But the compliment was sincere. And because it was and I went out of my way to praise her, the dynamic of our working relationship did change for the better. I learned a very valuable lesson that day, and have since passed it on on my children.

Our own attitude has so much to do with how we view, act and react to situations. Even in awkward situations, it is possible to seize on that one good thing.