“Courtesies of a small and trivial character are the ones which strike deepest in the grateful and appreciating heart.” Henry Clay
After driving two and a half hours in construction traffic, I reached my hotel. I was a little cranky, especially when I discovered that the materials I needed for my program were not there. Unfortunately, Ginger, the front desk clerk, was on the receiving end of my grouchiness. I whined, “All I want is to get my room prepared, put on my jammy’s, drink a cup of tea and go to bed.”
Despite my mood, she made every effort to serve. She summoned several staff members to track down my supplies, which they finally found. While getting my seminar room ready for the next day, a hotel staff member presented me with a pot of hot water and variety of tea bags to choose from. I enjoyed my tea, got everything ready, went to bed and had a good night sleep.
The thing is, even through my testiness, Ginger never lost her cool. She had a beautiful energy as she wrapped me in her warmth of her kindness. I am grateful for her courtesy and the reminder that even when you don’t necessarily deserve it, goodness happens anyway.
When someone goes out of their way to be kind, make sure you take the time to acknowledge their goodness – even if it’s a little bit later than ideal. Gratitude matters.