Note from Mary...
To make my way through high school and college, I did a variety of jobs from fast food and ice cream stands, to cleaning a bar and rest rooms every morning after the "night before" dancing crowd had left, to running the cash register and stocking the freezer isle at a grocery store, to waiting tables, tending bar, delivering drinks in the fanciest upscale restaurant and lounge in our college town.
Out of all of the jobs, I think that waiting tables was the most emotionally rewarding and defeating each and every night. I wish every one would have to wait on people for a month to find out just how many variations on humanity there can be.
With one table you could work your legs off running back and forth to please your customers every disgruntled need, want and command. There would be other tables whose requests were easy to understand and handle, followed with genuine appreciation for the care you gave them. Those people usually gave the most lavish tips. While the people you bent over backwards for, often left nothing for your care and efforts.
One thing you learn the first day of waiting tables is you can never tell from how a person dresses or acts as to what kind of tip they will give you. The best bet was to just show up with a great attitude and do your very best to be of service regardless.
Because I have such a deep appreciation for those who serve food,
I like to be a good customer for my waiters and waitresses, even when they are sometimes not very efficient in handling our order.
It happens.
We tip 20% every time we are delighted with our service and, because we appreciate the nature of the job, it is a rare occasion that we tip below 18% for any one. Any one can be having a bad day and I just don't believe I need to add to that with disdain or by withholding my humanity.
Since we've been on a Make A Difference mission in our life's work, we have also added our own little impromptu Acknowledgment Ceremony at the end of every meal out, to let the people who have taken care of us for the evening, matter and are appreciated.
This past week, it was a young man about 6 ft. tall, who waited on us. I found him to be quite excellent given that it was a Friday night and the restaurant was packed with people having to stand and wait to get seated.
It never ceases to amaze me, or emotionally affect me, that each and every time I acknowledge someone with a "I Make A Difference" wristband, that they are visibly moved by what has just happened... and generally respond with, "No one has ever acknowledged me before or told me that I have made a difference."
I find this extremely motivating ... to do even more!
I'm not gonna lie ... it is my dream that one day I will be out and about running errands and I will see or overhear you acknowledging someone with an "I Make A Difference" wristband or blue ribbon sticker... I'm just sayin'... it's my dream.
Reaching out...
Co-Creator of the Acknowledgment Movie
makeadifference.com/Acknowledgment
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Mary Robinson Reynolds, M.S., Educational Psychologist, Author and Producer of the world renowned videos - 
