I don’t think I’ve ever been good at taking compliments.  Then again, I’m not sure I know anyone who is.

Of course it’s nice when someone compliments me, but half the time, I feel like I don’t deserve it. Sometimes I even find myself wondering if people actually mean what they say, or if they’re saying it just to be nice.

I think part of why I feel this way might be due to what I talked about in My (Distorted) Reputation.  And when I think about it that way, it’s really sad.  I like to think most of my friends and people I look up to have been genuine with me, but in the back of my mind, the uncertainty nags at me.  Of course, it could all be cleared up with a bit of Veritaserum, but I’ll take my chances.

I guess it’s the Hufflepuff in me too.  We value honesty, fairness, and trust.  And in a perfect world, I wouldn’t have to worry about whether people meant what they said.  Because they would mean what they say.

I may have trouble taking compliments, but that doesn’t mean I don’t value the moments in which I receive them.  They are a source of encouragement for me.  It shows that people care, and they believe in me.  Is it wrong to want – and need – that in life?
Why, Thank You?