Today is my birthday. I tell you this not to fish for birthday greetings, presents or cake, but as a lead-in for an observation of human behavior that just hit me today.

I received a birthday greeting from someone who had been reading my blog, unbeknownst to me. I don’t know how long she had been reading or when she first got the urge to tell me she had and what she thought of my thoughts, but I’m glad that she found the excuse of my birthday to let me know that I have been a small influence on her.

Then I got to thinking about how many times I found myself wanting to stop a complete stranger at the local grocery store and say, “You have very beautiful eyes” or make an observation like “You look sad, is there something I can do for you today?” or dropping a complimentary comment on a blog/twitter stream without creeping them out or thinking this old guy is trying to pick them up. I just think sometimes an unsolicited compliment — things that only happen in the movies but that you wish would happen to you — may be just the thing another human being needs at that very moment.

But I never do it. I really, really want to, but I never do.

I wonder how many other people want to reach out and tell me something without expectation other than I say, “Thank you” and become positively influenced by their noticing me?

And so I think we take the opportunity of a birthday or an anniversary or other some like social marker to poke our heads out of our shells and say, “I think you are an amazing human being because of this.” Because on your birthday, that is what you hear. Because on your birthday, it is safe to reach out and touch the soul of another human being without the fear of recoil.

Now, we just need to tune our ears to hear the same thing at other random times, without occasion. I doubt much we will; I doubt much I will take a chance myself. But I will be screaming those compliments I should be sharing with you in my head.

And to my new friend who summoned up the courage to compliment me today, thank you. I hope you don’t wait a whole year to find another excuse to reach out.