Getting beautiful compliments is one thing that happens to me often and it makes me feel somehow good. My height, little acts of kindness, behavior, hobbies, and many other things wouldn't let me stop receiving heartwarming compliments from friends, families, and even strangers.
Choosing the best compliment I have received is quite difficult because I don't know which to place above others. Every compliment I have received means something to me, the good ones makes me happy while the bad ones give me the urge to reevaluate myself.
As humans, we have our shortcomings and I feel great when someone calls me back to tell me that I am doing something the wrong way. Not all negative compliment cause me to worry and I just let them pass when it doesn't make sense. Not all compliments are true, sometimes people give wrong compliments just to win your heart or hurt your feelings or confidence.
The election is approaching in Nigeria and you see people praising politicians who have practically supported the downfall of the country just because of what they will get in return while some people are making false compliments about some politicians just to tarnish their image.
One of the best compliments I have received in life was inspired by my behavior. I started living in one of the ghettoes in Lagos and their way of life there was completely different from mine but I had no choice but to adapt to that environment. My neighbors knew it was my first time in such an environment so they really got close to me which was their way of showing support.
Their kids helped me run errands, fetched water, and did a lot of other things. I settled in well and soon started enjoying the environment. The first time my girlfriend visited was a dramatic day, I wouldn't want to go into details of that but she ended up accepting me for who I was.
Life went on there and at a point, I thought of influencing my immediate environment because there were a lot of things I wasn't cool with. The biggest of them was domestic violence in relationships, there is always a fight and I knew what the impact would look like on the young ones in the community.
I became close to the men and it worked out. We talked about relationship issues at night and they confided in me a lot. The first progress we made was that they choose to talk about things instead of beating their wives.
One of the wives in my compound approached me and said, I am seeing how you are influencing my husband. She knelt and said thank you, I was touched because her act got me emotional.
I became a teacher, a lawyer, an advisor, and many other profession to people in the environment, it earned me respect even though I was the youngest adult in that particular compound where I stayed.
During my stay there, a woman fell sick and couldn't eat. Her husband wasn't concerned, he gave her money though but that shouldn't be all.
The man was stubborn and I knew talking to him about it wouldn't make a difference so I decided to take things up.
I went to the market to get fish, pepper, bitter leaf, and other things. I made the soup and gave it to the woman.
She ate that evening and at night, she came to my apartment to say "thank you". The husband ate some portion of the soup and maybe got jealous when the wife told him I made it.
The next day, he stayed at home pampering the woman. He even cooked for her the next day and the woman openly said it was the first time her husband made food for her. The man felt embarrassed I made him understand that he doesn't have to wait till his wife is down before he shows affection to her.
There was a woman who had lots of apprentices, the girls were always around me which she wouldn't allow for other men in the house. Her husband asked her why and she said, I am different, responsible and she trusts me a lot.
Hearing these things makes me excited and I am always praying for my mom because of how well she raised me.
My fiancee comes every weekend and I still make the meals, clean my room, do my laundry, and even her own because her job was more tedious than mine. She spends her weekend sleeping which I can't oppose because her well-being matters and the main reason I insisted she comes over on weekend is to rest, her siblings wouldn't allow her to have proper rest where she lives.
Unknowing to me, everyone was watching. It got to an extent that the women started demanding that their husbands emulate my behavior, I didn't know what condition they gave but the men had no choice.
Suddenly, I started seeing the men in the kitchen, fetching water and I was impressed.
A few women approached me and said, "Dee, you have made a positive impact in our lives".
I didn't know how much I have done until I got another apartment and decided to leave the house. I was shocked to see the kids crying, they loved me even though I was strict with them when it comes to academics. The women were sad and when we talked about it, it was really emotional for me.
My room was always open just like my ear and heart was open to everyone, including young and old. One of the men said he hope to live with a neighbor like me again because of how much difference I made in the environment in two years.
I haven't gotten attached to people in an environment like that I am glad, I was able to make a difference.
We still communicate a lot today and whenever they tell me how much they miss me, I feel really proud of myself.
