Accentuate the positive

Mum told me to treat people kindly. I remember her saying to me, "If you can't say something positive to people, don't say anything." This advice has stuck with me.

At a party, I saw an acquaintance of ours, Hazel, walking from the ladies room towards the other side of the party, I noticed that she'd been a little careless in her dress. I raced over to save her embarrassment. Mum would've been proud of me.

I could have said, embarrassingly, "Hazel, your dress is tucked into your knickers." But being positive, I said "Hazel, you've got a wonderful arse!"