To Be a Refreshment to People's Existence

I came up with a "life mission statement" the other week. It just kinda came out of nowhere. That statement (also the title of this blog) is "to be a refreshment to people's existence." If I put together all the things that make up the essence of who I am, it fits this life mission.

I love making people laugh

I love making someone smile

I love impacting someones life (even if its something small)

As far as work experiences and activities, what energized me the most was interacting with someone, and having a chance to make an impact. At the restaurant, I loved training host's and servers. I loved pleasing guests, and making their experience great. As a VP of my fraternity, I loved recruiting students. I loved conducting seminars on brotherhood and leadership. I loved motivating them through fraternity struggles and drama. As a career, I would love to have an opportunity to impact someones life in some way (nonprofit work, management when I get to motivate and inspire someone, admissions when I get to motivate students to achieve their dreams, ministry when I'd spread the good news, or motivational speaking if my book makes it big!)

The other night my brother and I went to grab something at Burger King. We went through the drive through. As soon as the attendant opened the window, she recognized me from 4 months prior. She smiled, and said she hasn't seen me in a while. Rewind to last September. I came in to Burger King, disgruntled after my friday night shift, and looking forward to a job prospect as an admissions rep at a technical college. All I did to break the employee-to-customer business transaction, was vent about wanting to get out of the restaurant, and she was able to relate. The week afterwards, I went to the drive through, and briefly spoke with her, that I didn't get the job I wanted.. Now here in January, she remembers me! What can I take away from this experience? Does that mean I impacted someones life in a small way? Does that mean I completed my life goal?

My mission statement I think reflects greatly with statements found in the Bible. Such as being a light of the world, or salt of the earth. Hopefully I can land a career that would be congruent with this mission. Then, I think that I would be on fire.

 Does anyone else have a life mission? If not, what would it be?

God Bless,

Eric

Hashbrowns and Homefries

It was Christmas Eve night when I was waiting tables at my restaurant job, praying that it would be 5:00 as soon as possible, so I could go home and spend some QT with my family. Thats when a customer was sat at my section, ready to be a "ba humbug", complaining about his meal. He ordered one of our breakfast items, which included his choice of either Hashbrowns or Homefries. He grumbled that he wanted the hashbrowns, but not with our seasoning. Not aware that we put anything on our hashbrowns, I consulted our cook, and he said that they didnt put anything special on them--they came as they were prepared.

So minutes later, I gave him his breakfast. After running around to serve my other guests, scattered about the restaurant, he motioned me over. I stood there listening to him vent as he complained about his entree. The kicker for me though was the complaint about he hashbrowns. He said, "And I got hashbrowns, when I really wanted home fries. I know I said hashbrowns, but you should have picked up on what I meant, when I was talking about the seasoning."

Are servers supposed to read minds? Is that in our job description?

He not only got his meal for free, as our manager took care of him. But he also stiffed me because I couldn't read his mind! Of course that put me in a sour mood for Christmas Eve. I did lighten up (after a great meal at Oriental Wok with my family that night, followed by other Christmas traditions!), but I couldn't stop thinking about this predicament.

Last Thursday morning, when I was hosting. I greeted the same guy and his wife, sitting them down to their seats. I tried to make as little eye contact with him as possible. Later on when they got up to left, they talked with our manager (the same one who gave him his free meal). Then he did something that I don't think I'll ever forget. He turns to me, and hands me 2 dollars saying, "I stiffed you the other day. Here you go."

Does that mean there's hope for mankind? Are there a handful of people out there who want to do the right thing? His conscious must have been weighing heavy on him for two weeks to come back and do that. I wasn't even his server! I was just a host.

This story started out as a "bad server story", just one more reason to get out of the restaurant industry. It ended up being a story about miracles, hope, and inspiration.

Happy New Year Everyone!