The Christmas Difference: Service People

Greetings Dear Reader,

I have an every diner.  It is like hundreds of diners that can be found in cities and towns.  It is my favorite.  I used to have another favorite but it closed.  It took me a couple of years to find this one.  At first it was a short drive from where I lived but now it is longer.  I have to make an effort if I want to go there and I do make that effort.

There are people that eat two or three meals a day there.  The wait staff has changed little in the last eight years.  The menu has changed even less.  It is the kind of place that when I walk in the door I am greeted by name and treated like family.  I eat far too many of my meals alone for my liking and eating at this diner soothes a great part of that.

Over the years I have established a tradition involving this diner that I think may benefit others.  We all have service people in our lives that work hard to please us.  Most of them make less that we do and work at demanding jobs.  One of the ways I show my appreciation to the folks at my every diner is to go there for breakfast on Christmas Eve morning.  I take whoever went bell ringing with me that morning and buy them a hot breakfast to chase away the chill.

After an excellent breakfast I have a quiet conversation with the owner and hand him some money.  I provide a modest tip for each of the people who work there.  It is not much to me and is to them.  It makes a difference not just in the money in their pockets but in the respect for what they do for a living.

In making a difference at Christmas I would challenge you to find a way to honor the service people that make your life easier or more pleasant.  If you have to work a little harder or sacrifice a little to do it, mores the better.  When we benefit from the hard work of others we should give some of that back.

If we hope to live out the spirit of love and generosity that is supposed to characterize the Christmas season then we must begin with those around us who work to make our lives better.  Give it a try.  I would love to hear what you find joy in doing for others.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."