Social policy memoirs of a junkie

I'm convinced that it should be illegal for people to drive while high on phenyethylamine: it inhibits critical judgment and tends to cause distraction, but there's no test for it. Although touted as a "natural" high, there's no cure for it and I hear it's been linked to the blues.

Accepting compliments is

Accepting compliments is delicate? Convoluted? Multifaceted? Tricky? Telling?

I'd only noticed it was a problem recently - actually someone said that it was a problem and I should address it. Acknowledge and appreciate the compliment. Thank them. Okeedokee, working on it.

But someone says something kind, insightful and kind, and I'm flattered, not because of what they're saying, but who they are. A kind word from someone like this: a dinner invite from a pair of saints; a statement of work-ethic from a workaholic; a description of interest and appreciation from a woman who's simply amazing. It's not because they're authourities on the subject but because words like these from people like these form a mirror where they see some reflection of the best parts of themselves, a reflection different in aspect, but the same in some way, and they mention this. Words from this are like an underground river, something that flows between and flows deep and washes away that which has obscured something important.

And all I can think of doing is turning around and saying "you too." But it seems... cheap? Prompted? But it's true.