Compliments are gifts is a lovely metaphor for making the world a brighter place.

I can’t remember where I heard or read it, but I have found that when I think of a compliment as having a gift for someone, if I don't let them know my compliment, then it's like having a gift with their name on it and holding it back.

This reframe has made me take the time to share compliments more often with friends, colleagues, shopkeepers, the person who always has a cheery smile in the morning, the person who organised the event, my kids, my wife, and pretty much everyone. And life seems a better place. Do it!

Thank you for following and checking out this sketch. It’s a privilege.

Also, when they are given to you, accept compliments.

Compliments are gifts

Phoenix trees are trees that live on after toppling and that can create new trees from branches of the original with their own roots and everything. They are named after the mythical phoenix, a bird that rises from the ashes to regenerate after death, much like Fawkes from Harry Potter.

In phoenix trees I've seen, a large toppled tree hasn't completely separated from its roots—where some roots are broken as the tree fell,  one side of the roots has managed to remain connected. This provides a lifeline for the now horizontal tree.

Remarkably, those branches along the trunk that are now growing upwards can become like trees in their own right and, at times, even put down their own roots. These side trees remain supported by the original great, toppled tree. 

Phoenix trees are not to be confused with nurse logs which are dead fallen trees that provide a great environment for new trees and plants to grow in.

Phoenix trees

I find myself linking to this article about why your links should never say click here for links on the web that I thought I should just get it down for easy reference. The solution, generally, is to rewrite your sentence. For more about writing for the web, click here. Only joking, check out more tips about writing for the web.

Also see: Omit unnecessary words, use styling instead of colons, cognitive overhead and the best writing is rewriting. 

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Rewrite to avoid click here