Attack of the hearts

This week we played Heart Attack at our house - cutting out paper hearts, writing compliments to each other and sticking them randomly around the house.    It looks like this:

and this: (pic from yesterday's post - how tacky!)

Here is what I like about this project:  its cheap, the randomness of the hearts draws attention to them and makes them special, it teaches my children to give and receive compliments and its special family time.

I remember when I was a junior in high school we went on retreat as a class.  One of the activities that we did was decorating notebooks.  When we were done, we passed them around and each person wrote something that they admired about you.  Now, I was a nerd in high school (hard to believe I know).  Everyone was cooler than me.  Everyone else went to the parties that I didn't want to go to and let's be honest, I had never heard of.  I had no problem writing compliments to everyone in my class.  They were beautiful and outgoing, funny and generous.

At the same time I was happily writing, I was also worrying.  What would people write about me?  Surely they wouldn't be able to come up with anything to write in my notebook.  I mean, these were the cool kids - Cathy Cheerleader and Soccer Steve, Football Fabio and Heidi Homecoming Queen.  Then my notebook came back around to me.

I nervously opened it and started to read.  I couldn't believe the words on the page.  Things like "you are smart" or "I wish I was as kind as you are" or "I love that you are true to yourself."  I looked around at the authors of these words of praise and saw in their faces the same look of astonishment that I wore.  Could it be that everyone had doubted themselves?

I don't remember anything else from that day - not the venue, not the other activities, not the speakers.  What I do remember is that I learned the power of words, especially compliments.  Taking the time to praise someone, especially when it is written and can be read again and again, can change a person.

Get out your construction paper and cause someone else's smile today.  I guarantee that when you look back at the end of the day, it will be the moment that made a difference.