This article is heartbreaking. The lack of respectful, decent behavior is apparent in many areas of our lives. It seems the Golden Rule, which many of us were taught as children, is a thing of the past. We all get frustrated from time to time with situations like long lines, higher prices, supply shortages, and under-trained employees when we are out shopping or ordering food somewhere. These are NOT reasons to verbally abuse people. Something I try very hard to remember is to ask myself 3 questions before I show anger: Is it correct or truthful? Is it necessary? And most importantly, Is it kind? Kindness and good manners cost nothing, and go a long way to diffuse difficult situations. Thank you for writing and publishing this.
I live in a very small town now in a county with about 15 K people. We are supportive of our assistants in whatever capacity we require help because they are somebody’s child/grandchild/neighbor. Over population and no roots of community members cause folks to feel they can be rude to the unknown person serving them. That is my thought. My granddaughter is a server in Yountville and she has experienced all the bad behavior that can be experienced.
Thank you for bringing this critical issue to all of our attention. So often I see customer service staff being treated poorly. Just this morning, in a restaurant we frequent often (not in the Napa Valley), we spoke with the "older" server who was taking our order. She was clearly having a tough day. I asked if she was now working week-ends only, and her response was "yes, thank goodness." This puzzled me. This restaurant has been owned by a very kind and caring person for years. However, he is looking to retire soon, so has brought on a couple of new "partners." I have observed that a number of the regular workers have moved on. This morning, when the server said to me "when they make you cry, it is time to move on", my heart nearly broke. The new partners are young and do not have the gentleness and kindness that the original owner has shown staff who are struggling. And, our server does not always get it all right, but NO ONE deserves to be brought to tears by either bosses or customers. Patience, kindness, compassion- these all can change a person's day. A simple moment of silence rather than criticism, a word of acknowledgement rather than saying something cutting.... who among us would not want that? Thank you for reminding us to be human, with all that entails. Your words (and the lovely images) touched me deeply.
This article is heartbreaking. The lack of respectful, decent behavior is apparent in many areas of our lives. It seems the Golden Rule, which many of us were taught as children, is a thing of the past. We all get frustrated from time to time with situations like long lines, higher prices, supply shortages, and under-trained employees when we are out shopping or ordering food somewhere. These are NOT reasons to verbally abuse people. Something I try very hard to remember is to ask myself 3 questions before I show anger: Is it correct or truthful? Is it necessary? And most importantly, Is it kind? Kindness and good manners cost nothing, and go a long way to diffuse difficult situations. Thank you for writing and publishing this.
I live in a very small town now in a county with about 15 K people. We are supportive of our assistants in whatever capacity we require help because they are somebody’s child/grandchild/neighbor. Over population and no roots of community members cause folks to feel they can be rude to the unknown person serving them. That is my thought. My granddaughter is a server in Yountville and she has experienced all the bad behavior that can be experienced.
Thank you for bringing this critical issue to all of our attention. So often I see customer service staff being treated poorly. Just this morning, in a restaurant we frequent often (not in the Napa Valley), we spoke with the "older" server who was taking our order. She was clearly having a tough day. I asked if she was now working week-ends only, and her response was "yes, thank goodness." This puzzled me. This restaurant has been owned by a very kind and caring person for years. However, he is looking to retire soon, so has brought on a couple of new "partners." I have observed that a number of the regular workers have moved on. This morning, when the server said to me "when they make you cry, it is time to move on", my heart nearly broke. The new partners are young and do not have the gentleness and kindness that the original owner has shown staff who are struggling. And, our server does not always get it all right, but NO ONE deserves to be brought to tears by either bosses or customers. Patience, kindness, compassion- these all can change a person's day. A simple moment of silence rather than criticism, a word of acknowledgement rather than saying something cutting.... who among us would not want that? Thank you for reminding us to be human, with all that entails. Your words (and the lovely images) touched me deeply.
A Little More Nice
Take some time,
To look around,
And try to find,
Some common ground,
To find some ways,
To just think twice,
And be aware,
Of more that’s nice.
Try to think,
Of a better way,
To change the world,
Every day,
We’re faced,
With thought,
That things aren’t right,
Or the way they ought.
It’s times like this,
We often say,
That’s things should be,
A certain way,
They ought to be,
As we might claim,
And if they’re not,
It’s not the same.
If it’s not the same,
Or it’s them and us,
Here’s a thought,
We might discuss.
Like a law of the land,
We’d do just fine,
If we could see,
The bottom line.
This bottom line,
Is hard to swallow,
As we don’t think,
We’re born to follow,
The ways of people,
Not like us,
The ways of those,
We just don’t trust.
While all that’s true,
We need to say,
There will be problems,
Either way.
We need to think,
Of how to act,
So all we have,
Will stay in tact.
We’re doomed to fail,
If we fail to see,
The price we pay,
To be so free.
Anger and wars,
Have a mighty cost,
Where the good we gain,
Is often lost.
So as we find,
Some common ground,
Take some time,
To look around,
Take some time,
To just think twice,
And be aware,
Of more that’s nice.