At what age does being carded become a compliment?  Where instead of rolling your eyes, you quickly grab your license in case bartender changes their mind?  For me, it is the 40’s. (I may or may not be double the legal drinking age now, OUCH!)  On a mini vacation to Nashville, I was ‘complimented’. I was feeling pretty great as I happily took out my wallet. But I have to admit, being ‘complimented’ wasn’t enough! I had to ask a follow up question. I had to know; just how old do I look?  A dangerous question for any man to answer, but this bartender seemed up for the challenge.  “Not over 35” was his response. I just lost a decade off my age!

It didn’t even matter to me that he carded my husband next.  At this point I just figured it was part of his ‘funny man’ tip seeking routine. And this routine was working; I was already calculating his extra large tip.  This bartender’s compliment, made my day, maybe even my week! He also made a wonderful strawberry mango slushy too. Yes, mamas, I realize my juvenile drink order would make anyone question my age!

Halfway through my drink, I heard the familiar bartender voice to my right. There was a gentleman ordering, and he also, was being ‘complimented’. This I had to SEE.  How young did this guy look?  Lets see just how good this bartender’s age radar is. I casually turn to my right to check out the competition …

(Mamas, feel free to cue the dramatic ‘record scratching’ sound effect in your head right now)

… PICTURE with me, a man that I would place solidly in his seventies. He had long, thin, and stringy, gray white hair with natural curls at the end.  His hair was slicked back and balding on the top.  Santa Claus’ beardless brother was just carded.  In an instant the compliment that had inflated my giant head was popped!

Flattery, what a superpower! But is it really?

“Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.”

Proverbs 27:6

You are going to have many flattering bartenders in your life mamas. During my lonely baby loss journey sometimes those enemy kisses seemed more tempting, but it was my sincere friends that were the true blessing.  Surround yourselves with the genuine cheerleaders in life’s rainstorms.

Remember mamas, you get to decide if you are going to listen to be people that tell you what you want to hear, or people that tell you what you need to hear.