The best friends say “that’s amazing” and stop there. No “but,” no comparison, no story about themselves.

Uncomplicated gladness is rarer than it should be, because good news in someone else sets off a quiet inventory in most people. The comparison arrives automatically and comes out as a qualification, a similar story, a small correction, all of which move attention back across the table. None of it is malicious and all of it is felt.

When someone tells you something good, respond only to their news and let the silence after it belong to them. Ask a question about it rather than offering a parallel. Save your own story for later, and notice how much larger the moment becomes.