Honor in Dirty Dishes

Working along side my staff today, serving the many that decided to pause and break bread after a busy week, a deep and true sense of honor covered me as my hands were full of dirty dishes and cups.

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This industry is often thought of as the bottom; the modern day servant class. It’s made up of the servers, bartenders, dishwashers, busers, line cooks and baristas. They’re the invisible that provide the framework for special moments for friends and families. They’re the carpenters of the intangible that help construct a memory that you’ll hold for decades to come. But you’ll often never know their name or remember their face.

We’ve all had them. Those times that you want to last forever. The food is delicious, drinks are hot and laughter is plentiful. It’s love in a moment; the connection that we desire to be present in every moment but it’s not, so we savor what spirit seems to so preside over a dinner table.

I’m honored because no matter what is transpiring in culture at large, our doors are open to any and all. We offer peace, comfort and the slowdown. Places of service bring the universal desire and need to belong to a tribe to the forefront. They subconsciously whisper, “We are all in this thing called life together. Remember that.” So it is my promise that I will diligently protect our space because ours, and the many like us, are so very important to the fabric of society.

Whether anyone realizes it or not, the buzz and hum of a restaurant, cafe or coffeeshop make us all feel alittle less alone. So if you serve, do it proudly. You are part of important work!