Reframing Success
While we are reframing, what about reframing success?
Most of the time when I want to have a stellar cup of coffee I pop into one of my two favorite local coffee shops - Roastology or Perk. Occasionally I find myself in need of coffee but with a grandchild in tow so I go through a Starbucks in our neighborhood that has a drive thru window. (Have you tried out these new car seats? I have a daily limit as to how many times I will strap one of these kiddos in and haul them out.) Fortunately, I am a lucky duck and often have a kiddo buckled up in the backseat, go through the window often and am familiar with the tricky maneuvers required to navigate the long lines. Last week I circled the building and was about to make the final turn to align myself with the long line of drive thru coffee guzzlers when a lady entered the Starbucks lot. I motioned her forward. She hopped in line in front of me. Happens all the time. No big deal.
But evidently to her it was a big deal. She thought I was exiting the area; when she realized I was behind her in line she was mortified. At least that’s what the barista told me when she handed me my free coffee, paid for with apologies from the lady in the car in front of me.
I had no complaints or awareness of perceived offense. I showed no displeasure at her entry into the line because I wasn’t displeased. But it really got me thinking about success in a world that craves it so much.
This gal made an amends for what she perceived as her personal failure to be courteous. I found it to be an act of great kindness on a day when I was experiencing the world as mean and cold and hard. The coffee is immaterial; her act of contrition (albeit unnecessary) was a balm on a heavy heart.
Need a bit more success and a little less failure in your life? Be kind. Just be kind.
Can you think of some opportunities to be kind in a small, quiet way that might make a huge difference to someone else? You never know who is having a horrible day; your one small act might just turn the day around.
