The Right Place at the Right Time

Every once in awhile, you read, hear, or see something that really changes your perspective. This post by The Bitchy Waiter did that for me. To sum it up, it tells the story of a woman who came and sat in a restaurant by herself with her laptop for a few hours. As someone who works in a restaurant, I can see how this could be frustrating for the waitress -- this woman only ordered a bottle of wine and an appetizer, took up a table that could have been turned multiple times while she was there, and she was on her laptop, which could be perceived as pretty rude. However, the waitress chose to be kind to this woman and let her enjoy the space mostly uninterrupted and well taken care of. After the woman left, the waitress found a $20 tip and a letter which explained that the woman had just been diagnosed with cancer, and needed a place to sit and think in peace for awhile. The letter Ithanked the waitress for her service, and for letting her sit for an uninterrupted afternoon. The waitress had unknowingly provided exactly what that woman needed, when she just as easily could have been rude and possibly pushed her mood in the other direction.

Later on that same day that I read that post, I was at the grocery store picking up a bottle of wine that I had been wanting. I pulled my choice off the shelf, and then an older gentleman who was looking for a bottle asked me, "Is that a good Pinot?" I replied, "Yes, it's very good!" He then told me that it wasn't for him, it was for his niece. "In fact, I don't know why I'm telling you this, but I'm 25 years sober this Wednesday!" I congratulated him on his huge accomplishment -- 25 years is a long time! He seemed so happy and thanked me for my opinion on the wine. I told him that we serve it at the restaurant where I work, and we had a quick chat about the restaurant and I told him he should come check it out sometime. I left the store with such a warm feeling in my heart. 

Then, today, I watched a movie called Jeff, Who Lives at Home. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it! Jason Segel plays a thirty-year-old man, Jeff, who lives in his mother's basement. He doesn't seem to have a direction in his life, but he believes in signs, and that things happen for a reason. When he gets a wrong number phone call for a person named Kevin, it begins a chain of events that lead him on a bit of a strange journey. He ends up running into his brother, played by Ed Helms, who is experiencing some troubles in his marriage. The movie basically culminates in one gratifying moment, with each of the family members finding something they were looking for. It really centers on the idea that there are no coincidences, which is funny considering the things that I've been thinking about this week, and my seemingly random decision to watch this movie on Netflix.

All of these things put together really make me think about my role in the universe. It's pretty small, but I think it's important to remember the impact small events and encounters can have. We should be aware that at any given moment, we could unknowingly be providing someone with whatever it is they need: comfort, encouragement, guidance. Just knowing that makes it feel good to be alive.