The Nicest Compliment

Despite my modest protests, I love a good compliment as much as anybody.  In fact, these compliments continue to add more fuel to the fire and add constant motivation.  So, thanks to all of you who have given me positive feedback and made each day of this journey that much easier.  There are times when I am almost embarassed by the attention. 

And, while I will kindly accept compliments in any form, there is one compliment that seems to stand out amongst the crowd.  Unfortunately, those loved ones that I see daily or quite often don't even have the luxury of conveying this compliment on me.  The compliment I am referring to are the following five powerful words...  "I didn't even recognize you!".  For the second time in a week, both times at the Pueblo Mall, I had friends utter those words to me.  Both times this happened the people I am referring to had walked by me first and both times I had to shout their name for them to realize they knew me.  I love that compliment.  I can think of no better measure of my success than to actually have people think I look like a different person.  Hopefully, it's not just "different", but also "better".  I hope in time that these same people will think I look like the kid of my former self. 

It's unfortunate that the only people who can give me the kindest compliment are those folks who I seldom see.  I still hope that there is a friend, I would even go with acquaintance, who has not seen me since January that I will not run in to until after I am 200 pounds.  I am hoping that at least one person who last saw me at 315 sees me at 200.  Oh, and I hope that person notices the 115 pounds and does the same double take as the two people I spoke of above.  Here's to hoping that I still have friends out there that are okay if I don't contact them over the next few months...