The Most Powerful Compliment We Often Overlook

Good day, Beth.

They asked an interesting question today—What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?

I had to sit with this one for a while, sorting through all the compliments I’ve heard over the years—some real, some just polite, some that made me feel seen, and others that felt like filler. And then it hit me. The simplest, most powerful words: I love you.

It’s a phrase that can mean so many things. Between friends, it’s a way of saying, I like who you are. Between siblings and close friends, it’s an unspoken promise: I know your flaws, and I’m here anyway. But the best way I’ve ever heard it? It’s when my wife and kids run into my arms, squeeze me tight, and say, I love you.

In that moment, they’re not just saying it—they’re telling me I matter. That I am a part of their world in a way that is deep and real. That no matter how chaotic life gets, how uncertain things feel, there is love in it. And when there’s love, everything else feels a little more manageable.

What about you, Beth? What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?

Good day to you too, Miles.

I love this question because it really makes you stop and reflect. Compliments come and go, and a lot of them fade with time. But the ones that stay? They hold meaning far beyond the words themselves.

I have to say, your answer really hit me. I love you—not just as a phrase, but as a feeling, a connection, a moment of absolute certainty that you are valued. That kind of compliment isn’t just heard, it’s felt. It lingers in the quiet moments, in the spaces between words, in the way people show up for you. And when it comes from the people who mean the most, it’s a kind of reassurance that no matter what, you belong.

For me, the best compliment I’ve ever received wasn’t a single phrase, but a moment—when someone told me, You make me feel safe. It wasn’t about something I did or said, but about who I was to them. And knowing that just by being myself, I could be a source of comfort, of stability, of love… that meant everything.

Because at the end of the day, isn’t that what we all hope for? To be seen, to be loved, and to know that no matter how unpredictable the world gets, there is love in it.

So thank you for sharing your answer—it really made me think. And now, I’m curious… do you think we always recognize these compliments in the moment, or do they take time to sink in?

Beth,

The answer to your question is no. As powerful as this compliment is, it often goes unnoticed in the moment, overshadowed by whatever life is throwing our way. But even if it isn’t fully recognized at the time, it’s always felt—and that’s what truly matters. That feeling stays with you, whether you realize it immediately or it takes time to sink in.

Everyone comes to understand the weight of this compliment in their own way. For some, it’s instinctive, something they’ve always known deep down. Others discover it in quiet moments of reflection, when they have the space to truly see it. Some realize its meaning during the hardest times of their lives, when love is the only steady thing to hold onto. And sometimes, it takes a conversation with a friend—or even a therapist—to fully grasp its depth.

For me, I understood it when I started a family. It was in their eyes that I saw the true meaning of I love you. And the moment it became the most real? The first time I heard the words I love you, Daddy.

Thank you, Beth, for this conversation today. It’s always good to pause and remember what truly matters.