The nicest thing anyone has ever said to me...

Someone paid me a compliment the other day.

It came from someone I have only known a short time, but whose opinion has come to matter a great deal.

This person told me that I was "clearly comfortable in my own skin."

For some reason, this struck me as an wonderfully powerful statement.

I am a pretty much confirmed self-doubter, but as one who is not especially interested in appearances, I don't spend a whole lot of time wondering what other people are thinking of me.

When I do spend the time to analyze what others might see, I see myself as a short, somewhat round, plain, fidgety, twitchy, twitchy, twitchy kind of gal that is not especially offensive but is also not especially attractive or confident.

That's what I see when I look in the mirror.

So anyway, it was pretty surprising that this person, one who I believe to be a good judge of people, sees me in this way.

Surprising, but pleasant.

Oh hell, who am I kidding?  I was all full of myself when I heard this.

Because I remember a time in the not-to-distant past, where I chose to sit in a cold parked car for hours instead of going into a wedding reception full of strangers.  I also remember a time when the thought of talking to more that one person at a time made me - quite literally - throw up.

Comfortable in my own  skin?

Yeah, I'll take that any day.