spend time with the ones you love
A comment from yesterday's blog got me to thinking. I'll reprint it here for you: "if being "selfish" includes you being the best possible friend for
someone who needed one, then may we all be selfish! Me? I am just
jealous because I am a long distance person who would enjoy spending
time with the one you have in your world!"
How many of us feel this way about others in our lives? Sometimes, we get so caught up in doing, doing, doing that we fail to realize we don't know how much time we may have to be with another person. We take so much for granted and always tell ourselves, "tomorrow. I'll call them tomorrow. I'll visit tomorrow. I'll write that note tomorrow." But then something happens and it hits us harder than it should: tomorrow came and it was too late.
I had an issue with my bank account over the weekend and two very wonderful bank tellers were there from beginning to end to get things back on track. I felt so grateful and gave them a card thanking them for their attention. The following day when I had to go back to file more paperwork, one of the tellers took me aside and thanked ME for the card. She said it made her cry, because in her line of work, she gets yelled at a lot from customers who don't realize that many times, problems are beyond the bank's control, but always get resolved anyway. It just takes time.
Time though, is not always on OUR side. Sometimes, in between responsibilities, it's like we play "Beat the Clock" to get everything done that needs doing. Other times though, you need to ask yourself, "how important will this be tomorrow? Can I just step back and deal with it later so that I can deal with something more important now?" What is more important than, say laundry or vacuuming?
Spouses.
Parents.
Children.
Friends.
Complete strangers.
Yes, you read that last one right. Complete strangers. Hold that door open, compliment someone for no other reason than their being here with you makes your day just a bit better.
Last week, someone I know went out to breakfast at a small diner. Just before the bill arrived, he pulled a fifty dollar bill from his wallet. When the waitress gave him his total, a whopping $18.73, he handed her the fifty and said, "keep the change, but make sure you give half to the cook, who did a wonderful job with my meal."
"Yeah...right," she replied sarcastically. Cynically.
But he meant it. Gratefully, she took the money and the cook's eyes grew wide. No doubt he could use it, too. Later that day, this friend also had issues with his bank, to the tune of having his account put on hold until it was resolved. When I commented to him how nice it was that he had given the waitress such a generous tip, he replied," yeah, well had I known I was going to have bank issues, I wouldn't have done it."
Hmmmm...I reminded him of how those issues were resolved. Isn't it better to NOT know what may happen later in the day? He agreed.
And that's the way it is: we DON'T know what may happen in our day. So, my friends, make each moment count. We may never pass this way again, as the song goes. Leave an impression. Make your mark. The world is yours, so leave a legacy worth enjoying for another person.
And may you all have a peace-filled life!
How many of us feel this way about others in our lives? Sometimes, we get so caught up in doing, doing, doing that we fail to realize we don't know how much time we may have to be with another person. We take so much for granted and always tell ourselves, "tomorrow. I'll call them tomorrow. I'll visit tomorrow. I'll write that note tomorrow." But then something happens and it hits us harder than it should: tomorrow came and it was too late.
I had an issue with my bank account over the weekend and two very wonderful bank tellers were there from beginning to end to get things back on track. I felt so grateful and gave them a card thanking them for their attention. The following day when I had to go back to file more paperwork, one of the tellers took me aside and thanked ME for the card. She said it made her cry, because in her line of work, she gets yelled at a lot from customers who don't realize that many times, problems are beyond the bank's control, but always get resolved anyway. It just takes time.
Time though, is not always on OUR side. Sometimes, in between responsibilities, it's like we play "Beat the Clock" to get everything done that needs doing. Other times though, you need to ask yourself, "how important will this be tomorrow? Can I just step back and deal with it later so that I can deal with something more important now?" What is more important than, say laundry or vacuuming?
Spouses.
Parents.
Children.
Friends.
Complete strangers.
Yes, you read that last one right. Complete strangers. Hold that door open, compliment someone for no other reason than their being here with you makes your day just a bit better.
Last week, someone I know went out to breakfast at a small diner. Just before the bill arrived, he pulled a fifty dollar bill from his wallet. When the waitress gave him his total, a whopping $18.73, he handed her the fifty and said, "keep the change, but make sure you give half to the cook, who did a wonderful job with my meal."
"Yeah...right," she replied sarcastically. Cynically.
But he meant it. Gratefully, she took the money and the cook's eyes grew wide. No doubt he could use it, too. Later that day, this friend also had issues with his bank, to the tune of having his account put on hold until it was resolved. When I commented to him how nice it was that he had given the waitress such a generous tip, he replied," yeah, well had I known I was going to have bank issues, I wouldn't have done it."
Hmmmm...I reminded him of how those issues were resolved. Isn't it better to NOT know what may happen later in the day? He agreed.
And that's the way it is: we DON'T know what may happen in our day. So, my friends, make each moment count. We may never pass this way again, as the song goes. Leave an impression. Make your mark. The world is yours, so leave a legacy worth enjoying for another person.
And may you all have a peace-filled life!
wow...that was about 15.00 per person tip! People get so caught up in "how much of this is 15% or 20% they don't realize these folks LIVE on tips! Your friend did great and no doubt, may have set a precedent in motion. Maybe this waitress was able to do something nice for someone else just because someone was nice to her. That ball keeps rolling downhill....it can be a nice roll or a mean roll. Keep on keeping on, I say! Bless you!
ReplyDeletein my restaurant the wait staff and bussers get tips and the cooks get squat. Cooks also get paid very little but do what they do anyway to make ends meet. They are the behind the scenes people who, if not for them, there wouldn't be restaurants to begin with. It is about time they get their due. Thank God for this person who recognized that. You gave that cook a reason to maybe keep smiling. Maybe his or her feet didn't hurt so much after that and they could go home and hug their wife or kid instead of smacking them and drinking...you just never know till you walk in those shoes, you know??? You gave that person a reason to smile. God love ya for that!
ReplyDeleteI had an aunt who no one liked because she was so mean and crabby, yet my mom always told us we needed to go visit her. I didn't like it because she always found fault with me, even as a little kid. yet I dutifully sat in her living room while she went on and on in her complaints of life. Then when she died, I thought, thank God that's over. As I grew up though, I realized that my spending that time with her made me strong and tolerant. As my mom always said, "you don't have to like it, you just have to do it!" So Aunt Jenny, you made me what I am: better and not bitter.
ReplyDeleteUmmm, Wow, I am the person who did that little trick, only to discover the next day my bank account was hacked and I was now broke. PANICK!? SWEAT?
ReplyDeleteNo. I know how the waitresses and cooks live, off of tips mostly, and it warms my heart to see the gratitude on their faces! Even if I am broke the next day?!
Yes, if you have a little extra, don't be so cruel as not to share it with other Americans who actually appreciae it.
And thanks to the Aunt Jenny's of this world also. (Kind of?) You make reality slap us all in the face! Love You Anyway!!
ah, rob to live your high life! just don't bother to share it with the two daughters you have. such a hypocrite!
Deleteto mollify you means doing...what, Anonymous? That chance came and passed you by....and the road goes both ways. If you choose to take another path, enjoy the scenery and keep the postcards to yourself!
DeleteI have no daughters.
ReplyDelete