My aunt is an amazing person. Not only does she live life to the fullest, but she wants others to do the same. She spreads this message around the world every single day, encouraging people to ignite their lives. Her mission has led her all the way from the local DMV to the other side of the country, and every now and then, I get to tag along.
I think I had just turned sixteen when my aunt told me that she was going to the downtown farmer’s market to hand out free compliments, and asked me to come with her. At first this concept was not thrilling to me. I am an introvert and as such I take my introversion very seriously. But it did seem like a good thing to do, so I reluctantly agreed to go along.

The task was basic enough. We hung up a large sign that read FREE COMPLIMENTS in big black letters. At first, I only watched while my aunt would go up to people passing by and shake their hands. She always had a big smile on her face and it was an amazing thing to watch as the people she spoke to lit up like the Fourth of July.
Eventually even I got in on the act. I was nervous at first, I won’t deny that. But the more I did it the more comfortable I became. The point of my aunt’s activity was not just to compliment people, but to make them feel appreciated as well. I have always been a firm believer in the power of union, but what I learned from my aunt is that you don’t always have to go very far to unite people. Sometimes all it takes to bring them together is a friendly handshake and a few simple sentences.