The greatest attribute a person can ever have is the ability to notice something honestly FABULOUS in an otherwise lackluster "thing". Julia L. could do that (maybe that's why I worked so well with her!) It didn't matter how much I messed up . . . she always saw something great and told me. It was genuine greatness, I never felt like she was searching for something nice to say, or trying to preface the critism of the rotten stuff ("good . . . BUT . . . ). She has an amazing (and rare) gift for seeing and then identifying the stuff that sparkles, and I loved that about her!

Today I gave a class presentation. It went . . . alright I suppose . . . but not my best work. I felt "blah" about the whole thing. Afterwards, one of my classmates pulled a Julia L. and told me (very honestly) one thing I had done really really really right! (she didn't gush, or go on and on like it was the world's best presentation -- she noitced a great aspect and mentioned it) Her little comment totally changed my attitude and brought everything back into persepective. I wanna be able to find that Gem of Greatness in something (ANYTHING!) and see it -- notice it-- acknowledge it! Julia L. did it natuarally. I think my classmate does it naturally. Not that they don't see the rotten aspects or blindly ignore them (Julia always had a list of improvements ready!) but their focus is on the GREAT stuff, and with all the people ready to point out what's wrong (including me & my inner critic!) it's just good to have some Julia L.'s around.