As for the danger of praise, it is only so venemous as the desire to escape the consequences of past actions. One is always who he has chosen to be. Once he can accept the biting pain that comes with admitting a bad decision, he will openly welcome the wondrous bounty of acknowledging a good one. Life is but a succession of such choices, and only one’s own moral judgment can guide the way. It has nothing to do with external comments on how this process may appear to others.