I expected it to just be a few moments of feel-good-fluff, but in the end it was more bittersweet than that - and now my eyes are all leaky, dangit.
Here, take a look:
via Bored Panda
This reminds me of how it feels to be a cosplay photographer, although since these students didn't set out to have their photos taken, it's really a more extreme - and more illuminating - look at how we take compliments.
For the most part it IS wonderful and sweet, but as the vid shows, far too often a spontaneous compliment will be met with suspicion, disbelief, and even out-right anger. (I actually started to fear for Shea at 1:40.)
I suppose we could talk about our society's impossible beauty standards, and how it's the inside that counts, anyway. We could say that our self-worth shouldn't be based on others' opinions, and that the "selfie epidemic" only reinforces a self-destructive form of narcissism. We can analyze and diagnose and point fingers - but really, who is that helping?
Maybe we should just remind each other we're beautiful.
In fact, while I'm at it, I want to say something. If it's weird just blame the cold meds:
You have certain abilities and passions and fabulous little quirks that no one else has. You have a wholly original perspective on the world. You can do and see and say things in ways that no one else on this planet ever can, and that makes you frickin' incredible. So please don't rob the world of you. Don't hide those things that make you different. Show the people around you how to be beautiful. Show them it's ok.
And then show them Stargate:Atlantis, 'cuz that is some seriously underrated sci-fi goodness, right there.
Now I'm off to go cuddle with my Vicks vaporizer. Y'all be good to yourselves.
