Each month, we challenge our community to do something that will improve the world around us—and our own lives. September's challenge? To connect.
Leave someone a thank-you note.
Last Saturday, I dropped in for lunch at a popular Italian restaurant. As my companion and I gnawed our breadsticks to their nubs, we watched as our server patiently waited on a large group of first-timers stumbling through the menu. “What’s oregano?” one asked. “Why is your cheese pizza so expensive? It’s just cheese!” The waiter was unfailingly nice about all of their questions, and by the time he sorted their order (a good 15 minutes later), they were all smiles, even expensive cheese lady.
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He took our order next, and I told him I wouldn’t be ordering any wine, but asked if I could have a look at their wine menu, just to see what they stocked.
He brought the wine list—and a half glass of a Sauvignon “for being so patient.” Later on, an order came in for an expensive bottle of Greco Bianco for a table in the corner. At the bar, he uncorked the bottle and expertly poured about a quarter of a glass full, then set it in front of me—“just a little splash to compare”—before whisking the bottle to its owners.
When the check came, I wrote a short note thanking him for a lovely lunch and wine. He high-fived me on the way out. It’s not every waiter that can make first timers feel like regulars, and regulars feel like first-timers.
Ready, set, go! Good luck completing today's challenge. Share your experience on Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook by using the hashtag #30DaysofGOOD, or let us know how it went in the comments section below.
Tomorrow's challenge: Teach someone something.
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