By MARY BETH MAASSEN
Los Alamos
So this was a pleasant surprise.
I had been in a not-great mood. I am in Phoenix, and with the exception that I get to spend precious time with my kids and grandkids, I am not too crazy about Phoenix. It is hot, and brown, and crowded, and the traffic is always a hassle.
There are over 4 million people living in the Valley of the Sun and today I was one of them, waiting for my ice tea at a drive-thru Starbucks in 104 degree heat.
When I pull up to pay for my order, the remarkably cheerful and smiling young man at the window tells me the person four cars ahead of me has paid for the drinks for the four cars behind him. The driver had neglected to include some items in his original order and felt bad about making everyone wait, so he decided to foot their bill. Now I am smiling too.
“Cool!” I say. “So, I should at least pay for the car behind me,” I offer.
“That would be great if you would like to do that. It ALWAYS puts people in a good mood,” the young man said enthusiastically. “My record so far is 14 cars. Maybe today I break my record.”
The car behind me had an order similar to mine, so it was an easy decision. At some point a car full of teenagers, or someone picking up an order for their entire office, will show up and the good mood train would grind to a halt. My “free” drink ended up costing me an extra dollar. I felt lucky to be included and it lifted the rest of my day. It was not about the money it was about the kindness and thoughtfulness behind it.
It was also about the young man at the window. He could have simply been pleasant, taking money, and delivering drinks and everyone would have been satisfied. But this is a young man who clearly seeks and expects more from himself and from others. His good-nature pulls people in and along for a ride that makes them a better and more generous version of themselves. He created a simple personal challenge that inspired and lifted those around him.
It made me think about the challenges I create for myself and how they impact others around me. Do the things I want to accomplish—the things I believe I need to do to feel fulfilled—benefit others? A quick stop to pick up an iced tea has generated all kinds of new contemplation.
Right now the world seems exceptionally harsh. I don’t think it is any harder than it has been in the past, the news is just more real time and emotional because of all the social media contributions. But simple, gentle, and kind acts are being performed every minute of every day.
We can be angry and post comments about our outrage, or we can take matters into our own hands and simply be more compassionate to each other.
My intention is to remember those who died in the senseless violence in Manchester, Paris, Orlando, and Charleston—and everywhere else—by being kinder and more caring toward those I encounter, not just this week, but every day.
Thank you young man at Starbucks! That was quite the inspirational glass of tea.
