My Life’s Purpose

My Life’s Purpose

A few days ago, my husband and I went to a local Waffle House restaurant. We discovered this little gem by accident and probably only went in because our daughter said how much her family enjoys going to Waffle House. Up until this latest encounter, we thought of it as an old, dirty, little truck stop.

On entering the restaurant, all the employees shouted out: “Good morning”! Wow! At what other restaurant do you walk in and get that kind of greeting? We sat in a booth and a sweet, young woman named Skye immediately came over to wait on us. The whole time we were there, Skye never lost the beautiful smile that had found her face.   The first thing Skye did was get a fresh pot of coffee brewing for me as I like the dark roast and not the regular coffee. She took our order and within just a few minutes, brought us the yummy, hot food. She came back with the fresh coffee in just a few more moments (and apologized that I had to wait). I promise that I am in no way exaggerating the speed of service. Skye kept checking on us: “Was everything cooked OK? Did I need more coffee?” We got more service with a better attitude than I have gotten at 99% of the fancy, costly breakfast places in our neighborhood. In fact, it was so outstanding, that I made a point of going to the website of Waffle House and writing a note about Skye and the outstanding service and attitude she showered us with that morning.

Skye’s attitude that morning was contagious. I felt it in the communication my husband and I had over our breakfast – fun and happy. And I noticed how that mood of happiness and service lasted throughout the day.

“OK,” you might be saying to yourself, “But what has that got to do with me? Are you just advertising Waffle House?” No, that is not my intention; my intention is to point out two things:

(1) How perceptions based on the past are not valid

(2) How living from a place of happiness affects everyone you come in contact with.

My past concept of this restaurant was not valid and because I had held onto it, I denied myself the opportunity for many wonderful, budget friendly breakfasts (which, by the way, is my favorite meal of the day). But, much more important than that, I was given an example of our true purpose and how this purpose (not necessarily some high minded career that takes at least one degree if not more), but our true purpose is to bring happiness and joy to everyone we meet, and that act of truly living our purpose can come from something as simple as how you pour a cup of coffee for someone, even a stranger.

I have thought that I need to do something grand, something that everyone will take notice of or I have failed. Skye showed me that this is my ego. The real question is: “Am I able to serve, no matter in what capacity, with joy and happiness? Could I pour a cup of coffee for a stranger with joy and happiness and with no thought that the job was beneath me? When I can do that, then I am truly successful.

 

Barbara Goodman Siegel, O.M.C.