Welcome Back from Summer! I hope you savored every second of fun with friends, family, and grabbed some quiet and introspective times for yourself.
In an effort to grand finale our summer we decided to go by boat to Duryea’s for an early supper on Monday evening. Duryea’s has been ours and everyone else’s go to spot for chic and transporting waterside dining. Recognizing we would not be the only ones with this brilliant last fumes of summer idea, we got there at the super uncool time of 4:30pm. Busy with tying up the boat, the crew sent my son and his friend ahead to request a table. Minutes later we were seated at a primo table for nine perched right next to the sound.
Within seconds a masked, possibly smiling, maître d’ rushed to our table. With a flurry of super endearing gratitude, he thanked us for sending (and parenting) such thoughtful boys to his front of the house station to request a table. Still surprised and moved by the boy’s simple gesture, he shared with us that the boys had paused before getting to their needs to ask him how he was doing. One of the boys, okay mine (proud mom moment), sensed that the front of the house was busy and spent. No doubt exhausted from an endless summer of crowd management and over exposure to some bad behavior when people’s evenings did not go as planned.
So rather than firing off his need for a table for nine he paused to ask the man, “How are you doing?” Then waited patiently with his big blue eyes for an answer. Could this possibly the first time this hard working and gracious man and been asked how he was doing all summer?? Yikes.
What can we all learn from this, particularly as we head into the Fall season that continues to be fraught with unease? I know this will definitely be influencing me as I navigate life back in the crowded big city. The maître d’s answer? “I am good. Thank you for asking.” He sent us a giant veggie platter as one final gesture of thanks.
Simple gestures of kindness matter. They get noticed. They make a difference – one grateful individual at a time. Thank you Colin and Isaac for this timely reminder.
