Stories of Kindness from Around the World

I was recently invited to dinner by a friend. During the meal, the manager  of the restaurant came over and said that our meal was free. He stood there smiling at me and there was an air of familiarity about him but I couldn't quite place him. Finally I asked him if he knew me. He laughed and said I had probably forgotten him, but that I had changed his life.  My friend was quite curious and asked him how I had done this.

He said that twelve years ago he was in recovery and I was teaching a stress management class that was mandatory for him to take in order to live in recovery housing.  I asked the group what their number one stress was and most, including him, had said it was their bosses.

He said I listened carefully to everyone and then took a chair and placed it in the center of the room.  I stood on the chair for a few moments and  then I invited everyone to come and do the same.  I wanted them to look at the room from up there. After everyone had done it, I asked the group to think about how when they changed their perspective, the room looked different. 

Then I asked them to consider their bosses. Was this the same person who had seen their good qualities and hired them? Do they remember how happy they were to be chosen for the job? On the day they were their bosses hired them, they were the greatest people on the planet. What happened? How did these wonderful people become terrible bosses?

He said I looked at him and asked if he had ever said thank you to his boss for the opportunity to earn a living and if he ever thanked his boss for teaching him new skills and to be a better employee.  Had he ever demonstrated to his boss even the slightest bit of gratitude? He replied, no he hadn't. Then I had asked him if he looked at his boss with contempt and he said yes he did sometimes.  I asked him if he knew how that felt?

He told my friend and me his life changed that night. He went back to work the next day with a thank you card to his boss. He said that he has been the manager of the restaurant for eight years and had just recently been promoted to regional manager.  He said he has been sober for twelve years.  He said he owed it all to me for two reasons: I had taught him to look at life from different perspectives and I had taught him to express gratitude.

Then he took my hand in his and said thank you.

It is moments like this that give me strength and courage - when blessings come home to roost.