God Loves Us All

11:50P

Looking for some other things, I end up dredging my journals from a year ago to blog, interesting to me. This one for today's blog was written in February 2009 when the economy had tanked pretty well and we were all talking about sub-prime mortgages and the Dow Jones Industrial Average, maybe Madoff, worrying about the economy and jobs and retirement funds.

Wednesday 02/25/09 journal:
I walk to a restaurant close to home. It is so slow tonight! The waitress asks if I want something to drink. I say iced tea. She never brings it. Once I ask pointedly if I could have it, she says yes, but does a dozen other things.

The bus "boy" asks if he can get me some coffee. I say no, iced tea, the waitress said she was bringing it but never did. He said he would get it, but he too does other things and doesn't get it.

All this time I still haven't ordered. Finally I get the iced tea and I order. Ten minutes pass. The waitress is back. "Bad news," she says. "The pea soup is out." She asks what else do I want. I get a choice of half a dozen different sides with my entree on a special: various soups, salads, desserts, et cetera. I say I have to see the menu. I decide on a small chocolate sundae, but I won't tell her until I'm done eating or else she'll probably bring it too early and it will melt, I imagine.

I feel myself being angry about all this. I plan what I'm going to say to her, etc etc. But, I hear my conscience telling me, God loves her as much as He loves me! I need to love my neighbor as myself. And my anger disappears without my making any effort! It is just gone! Hallelujah!

I must have projected it to the waitress. Here she comes with a huge full fresh glass of iced tea, lots of ice, fresh lemon, just like I love it. "Thank you," I say, "too much! I'll be floating back home." When she does bring my sundae, she says, "I gave you a bigger serving." I say, "Thank you!" again. What a marvelous unfolding of . . . what? A pleasant surprise, like a box within a box.

I left feeling good, gave her my regular 20% tip as a single diner, gave the night manager at the cash register an Almond Roca and a Ghiardelli Square. In response to my question, he tells me they do have a lower number of patrons, two chefs are off, their working hours have been cut, the dishwasher is gone so a bus boy is doing the dishes, and only one bus boy is on the floor. Wow. No wonder it was so slow. The economy is even affecting me!


So this is one reason I like to re-read my old journals, you forget when things are good or bad, you forget the details, and in the course of it all, you forget the rewards, too. I'm glad to report that my life in that restaurant is back to the normal of days before that day in February 2009!

Respectfully submitted,
Miss Peach