April 10, 2019 |

Life is Simple; People Matter

I am a creature of habit.  I love my routines.  One thing that my friends and co-workers tease me about is my lunch routine.  I go to the same place.  Every day, M – F, with very few exceptions.  It’s a good place…bar food…about a half mile from my office.  Almost all the employees know me.  The Manager often holds the door for me when he sees me coming and going.  The waitresses and bartenders know my order…because that’s the same every day as well.

There’s one waitress – Tammy – who is my server most days.  She’s a great person.   We’ve become friends.  We carry on a conversation during her various stops at my table.  Over time, she’s met my co-workers, my wife and even my Mom (who I lunch with most Wednesdays).

Why am I telling you all this?  Yesterday I learned that my restaurant is closing.  Too much competition and too few customers.  This week is their last week in business.  The end of an era.

As I was leaving with my Mom today, Tammy was passing out hugs.  She’s moving to a new restaurant.  She told us, “Don’t be strangers.”  My Mom said, “It’s sure been a pleasure.”  And off we went.  I told Mom in the parking lot, “Life is simple.  People matter.  It’s too bad humans complicate things so much.”

Things change.  Restaurants close.  People find new jobs.  But in spite of everything you see and read and hear, life is simple.  People matter.  We’re all in this together, and none of us are getting out alive.  Let’s all try to keep that in perspective.