Gratitude ~ Diners

Greetings Dear Reader,

My earliest memory of a diner is sitting in one with my Grandfather.  He would order his eggs over easy and eat around the yolk.  Then he would gingerly place the yolk on a corner of toast and eat them together.  I still do this.

Wherever I have lived I have sought out a diner.  It takes time for me to find the right one but I always find it.  My current diner has been “my diner” for sixteen years.  I am deeply thankful for it.

My gratitude for diners goes beyond good food at a fair price.  I find it to be a solid reflection of the idea of community.  One can sense a community there; even get an aspect of it values and personality. 

A diner is one of the great aspects of independent business.  Someone chooses to get up early and cook food for others.  I once visited a diner that opened at four in the morning.  It did so because it was less than a block from the local police station.  The night shift would take a “dinner” break there and the day shift would go in for an early breakfast.  The diner served the community.

I am grateful for a hot meal at a fair price.  I am grateful for waitresses that call you “honey” even when they do not know your name.  I am filled with gratitude that anywhere I travel I can find a diner with unique but common flavor.  I try to always try what they recommend on my first visit. 

I think that when I am at a diner It fuels my desire to be kind to others.  It reminds me how hard people work and how many different flavors of life there are.  I am grateful for the reminder of the people who need love and kindness on the journey as they stop off for coffee and food.  I strive to give everyone I encounter a large plate of that kindness.

Johnny’s Café – John Fischer

Wasting the day down at Johnny’s Café,

All kinds of people there with plenty to say,

If you got nothing to say to folks at Johnny’s Café,

You got nothing to say at all.

Walk in any day and you’ll find a slice of life at your table;

One man leaving his wife another wishing he was able,

An old man trying to forget a young one looking for a label,

And the stories they tell you can’t tell if they’re true of they’re fable.

And the lady pouring coffee she knows the regulars by name.

If she doesn’t know you she calls you “honey” just the same.

And we all love to hear it,

Even if she has to fake it,

‘Cause it’s nice to think that someone really cares;

Someone cares.

Go spend the day down at Johnny’s Café,

All kinds of people there with plenty to say,

If you got nothing to say to folks at Johnny’s Café,

You got nothing to say at all.

Half a mile down the road you’ll find a church with a steeple.

And on Sundays the pews are full of well-dressed beautiful people.

There’s a leading politician whose wife is a musician in the choir.

A corporation head who is trying to get a little bit higher.

And the preacher pouring sermons he knows the regulars by name.

If he doesn’t know you he’ll shake your hand just the same.

And we all love to hear it,

Even if we have to fake it,

But it would be nice if someone really cared;

Someone cared.

Go spend the day down at Johnny’s Café,

All kinds of people there with plenty to say,

Now if Jesus were here I think we’d find him today down at Johnny’s café.

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.”

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