I was out of town for a Master Mind Event in Houston this past weekend! UH...MAZING by the way! We had a 2 hour window for lunches so everyday we would catch a cab to lunch...eat...and walk back! (Always makes you feel better to walk after eating...RIGHT?) At this time everyone at the event is released at the same time for lunch and most do exactly what we were doing! Cab to lunch and walk back! Well on the 2nd day when we walked out for lunch we walked over to the cabs as they are all lined up in front of the hotel! We walked up to the first cab and get into the cab! We are greeted with a not so friendly cab driver.... He asks "Where are you headed?" We respond, "Around the corner to the Grand Lux restaurant" Then there is this awkward moment of silence and he says, "Well that's gonna be $6 to go around the corner" We respond, "Well that's fine" Then another awkward moment of silence...He then says "They have a free shuttle that will take you there...Did y'all know that?" We respond, "That's OK...there are so many of us trying to get to lunch we would just rather pay and get over there" He says, "Well y'all need to ask the cab behind me" We all have this look on our face like....are you hearing what I am hearing? He then says "Yeah y'all need to get on out and get another driver..I gotta pull on up here to get someone else!!!" We all look at each other and could not believe that this cab driver was PUTTING US OUT OF HIS CAB! We quickly realized that we were a waste of his time and our little quick trip around the corner for $6 bucks was not good enough! We quietly and politely got out of the cab!
We then went to the cab driver behind him and told him where we needed to go and he VERY KINDLY said "Yes, please get in!" He then asked how was our day going?" We told him that it was great and also that we had been put out of the cab in front of him! He said, "Oh this is my pleasure to take you to the Grand Lux" So we began to ask him a little about himself and before too long we were already there! So I bet you know what we did..... YEP, YOU ARE RIGHT....WE GAVE HIM $20 FOR OUR LITTLE TRIP AROUND THE CORNER! He graciously said Thank you and even offered to wait on us! We thanked him and he was on his way!
I probably will never see either of those two men again in my life! But that quote stands out in my mind..."You may forget what they say but you will never forget how they made you feel!"
So here are my thoughts on the 1st cab driver....In the time that he took trying to get us out of his cab...he could have pretty much already had us to our destination and on his way back for another trip!
He was more concerned for his pocket and willing to treat us like we were nothing in order to get what he thought would be better! The truth is that everyone that was standing waiting on the cabs were going to one of 3 choices which were ALL around the corner!
We did not even have to see what his outcome was going to be...It was already obvious what kind of standards that man lived his life with! Unfortunately, he never learned that his mentality in life was never going to get him anywhere!
Do you pass up opportunities thinking there is something better around the corner? DON'T DO IT! Make the best of what comes your way! You may one day realize that you can never get an opportunity back if you pass it up waiting for something better!
"Life isn't forever, so take the first chance, don't wait for the second one. Because sometimes there aren't second chances!" Make the BEST of each day!
The 2nd cab driver lived a life of gratitude! He found JOY in his work and spent his few minutes with us asking us questions about our event or answering questions giving a brief background on himself! A truly delightful man! He greeted us with a smile and went out of his way to open doors and close them! He was very deserving of the extra money that we extended to him!
Isn't that how life is??? When you forget yourself the greatest things in life somehow find their way to you!
You might say well, he just happened to be the next cab driver and it was his lucky day! I suggest that he lives his life in this manner all of his days and this was his blessing to get us in his cab this day and get paid alot extra for being in his cab for 5 minutes!
It reminds me of these great stories that I LOVE SO MUCH!
A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will never sit.
and this one....
A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.
"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone."
Live your life everyday, giving your absolute BEST that you have to offer! Give back and look for opportunities to bless the lives of others...no matter how small and even if it only takes 5 minutes! You have the choice everyday to live a life with meaning and purpose....Live your life as if YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE...BECAUSE YOU DO!
“Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have.”
“Never get tired of doing little things for others. Sometimes, those little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts.”
“We can choose to be affected by the world or we can choose to affect the world. ”
I have learned that REAL JOY and TRUE HAPPINESS comes from doing something worthwhile!
Find the JOY in serving others even if it is just a SMILE! Believe that you can make a difference and look for the opportunities to do so with the people that come into your life any given day! Speak to strangers and share your JOY! You never know how you can change someones life by just being friendly!
Find the JOY in MAKING A DIFFERENCE!
