Compliments that Complement

Almost every English speaker struggles with homonyms; words that sound exactly the same but have entirely different meanings. Examples such as "hear" and "here", or "there", "their", and "they're" have caused a lot of grief. But there is one unique pair of homonyms that work well together. This post might even help you remember the difference between the too... I mean two.

Compliment (with an i) is to praise someone. It is sincerely appreciating someone else for who they are, for what they have accomplished, or for what they are simply wearing.

Complement (with an e) is to complete. It is to simply bring into perfection or completion.

I love these two words because our compl-i-ments can compl-e-ment another human being. Or in other words,

I believe that the world is running dry on compliments. Instead it has taken the easier route to criticize. To degrade and demean the good and worship and praise the bad. Criticism only cripples. It never helps. It never completes, but always falls short.

Let's choose the higher road and use our thoughts and words to praise and appreciate, to complete and to perfect, and to uplift and inspire.