I am a nosey person.  If people are talking around me, I am listening in.  I have minimal boundaries and don’t really respect people’s privacy.  I can’t help myself.  I am an observer of human nature.  Watching people and how they interact fascinates me.  Of course I try to be sly about it, and look over your head or something, but in reality I am soaking up every word and nuance about anyone I have the opportunity to psychically dissect.

So here is a story of me shamelessly overhearing conversation I wasn’t apart of, but am super grateful to have been witness to.

I take a belly dance class, and often there are these two teenage girls who come.  I have to say, it has been a long time since I have been around 14-year old girls, and man they are quite a species.  For one, they can’t stop talking.  It is like a compulsion.  Their constant whispers sound like the room is infested with cockroaches.  They also can’t seem to contain the impulse to look in the mirror and investigate their bodies.  I mean, I guess it is a belly dance class so the midriff is often exposed, but these girls take it to a whole new level.  But I love their vibe because they are young and still excited about life.  That is a contagious energy that everyone needs exposure to.

Anyway, as we were waiting in line for the next move we had to do across the floor, one of the girls said to the other “I really like how you can wear your bangs back, or wear them down, and they both look really good.  Like, not everyone’s face can look as good with bangs as without.”  And then the other girl said, “Thanks.”

Okay, so first of all, the myth that girls hate girls, or girls are always jealous of other girls is beyond annoying to me.  Insecure people don’t like people they feel threatened by.  That extends way beyond gender.  People with healthy self-esteems aren’t judging and ripping people apart in their minds, so they can actually appreciate the values of others.

The thing that struck me about this scenario is that these two teenagers were way more mature and gracious than many women out there.  Not only did one want to praise the other and make her feel good, but the friend didn’t reject the complement or say some forced self-deprecating line.  Instead of deflecting or minimizing the admiration she said, “thank you” and accepted it.

I was like… fuck – this is how shit should be.  Where friends tell each other how awesome they are, and the other one just says “yeah, I am pretty awesome.  Thanks for reminding me.”