I think this will be my final blog for 2007. In closing out the year, I wanted to take a moment to discuss a topic that is of the utmost importance to me.
I'm going to tell you about Sis.
Now I know you are used to me writing about personal training, diet and exercise but after Meeting Sis, I am going to discuss a whole different side of my life and musings of a personal trainer So, please sit back and enjoy where this story is heading...
This past weekend, I did some serious power shopping. After checking my list twice and figuring who was naughty and nice… I decided to head for a nearby mall near my home just outside Chicago.
Being a novice shopper, I wanted to start early that Saturday morning to stay clear of the professionals. Normally on an early morning sojourn I would start off at my local diner and meet with the brain trusts to discuss the topics of the day while wolfing down a 3 egg omelet with whole wheat toast
But today was different – I had to get my list finished before the crowds hit. I resisted the temptation to bond with the curmudgeons and started along my journey...
At around 8am, I was HUNGRY… I found myself near the food court… I needed food, but good food, a Cinnabon just wasn’t going to do it. (Those are blasphemous words in my family)
I had noticed a large sign – proclaiming there to be a new Subway somewhere within the mall.
After a few minutes of searching without success, I decided to ask directions and ask the Mall Information attendant if she knew where the Subway was located.
That's where I met Sis.
Sis is a very spry 70ish mall employee in Chicago Ridge and has never really drifted too far away from the town that she has called home for over half a century. I know all this because I ended up having a cup of hot chocolate with Sis and hearing all about her life and times.
When I first met Sis she was only too happy to tell me exactly where the Subway was supposed to be located in the mall, but couldn't open because of legal problems. She did suggest some other fast food opportunities and then quipped that she had never tried the Gloria Jeans or any other coffee house for that matter…thought it was kinda silly to have someone else brew some flavored water… She preferred her own…
I thanked her for the information and started on to my next conquest at Borders. Just so happened that the Gloria Jeans was located just across the mall from Borders….
Made me smile.
When I got to Gloria Jeans, I thought about Sis and at her young age had never been to a coffee house. T’was “way too frivolous” to have someone brew that “fancy flavored water” as she put it. That little voice in my head started to chirp… it was high time that someone was frivolous on Sis’s behalf.
So, along with my own cup hot chocolate, I took with me a Winter Wonderland coffee(tastes like sugar cookies with a little Carmel on top) and headed back to pay Sis a visit.
Why this woman with the never ending grandma smile and star-like twinkle in her eye inspired me to bring her back a $6 cup of coffee I really don't know, but my story is about to take shape.
When I got back to the information booth, Sis’s eyes lit up like she was seeing an old friend she hadn't talked to in years. I asked her if she enjoyed sugar cookies and was very happy to hear that she absolutely loved them!I handed her the 'Gloria Jeans Cup o Goodness' and told her to take a sip.
I'll never forget what happened next.
Sis took a sip, smiled big, told me she loved it and then proceeded to walk around his information counter and give me a big hug. Sis was a little larger in stature so when she hugged, she HUGGED!
"That's the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for me" Sis said.
We chatted for about 30 minutes, talked about her grand kids, how rude shoppers have become and how kids viewed the holidays with out that sense of magic in their voices….
My experience with Sis was more profound and meaningful than I think I realized at the time......
And of course, I started thinking about how it applies to my business, training and coaching my clients and helping with the various sports teams at work.
At face value, the fact a women who has lived for 70 some years ranks someone buying her a cup of coffee as 'the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for her' seems a bit odd.
I mean, it was just a cup of coffee. But when you dig into that comment just a little, you see something even MORE sobering.
That it is ridiculously easy to put a smile on someones face.
It is easy to make people feel special.
It takes next to no effort to make people feel good.
The problem is, we seldom do it.
How many times do you give an unprompted 'high five' to your child, even though they were unable to do the new task at hand with much proficiency?
How many times do you greet your neighbors or customers during the course of the day and tell them how happy you are that they are there?
How many times do you tell your spouse that you are so proud of how hard they tried to do _______ (you fill it in) and couldn't care less that they do it perfect the first time?
How often do you try to make a unique and individual connection with each of the people around you, even though you might be busy with the next crisis on the list?
Sis is an example on a 'life' scale of what we could and SHOULD be doing each and every day with the people we run into in our lives.
Go out of our way.
Make the people around you feel special.
Put a smile on there face. Be sure that they know they matter.
In my business, sports and training are vehicles that are used for training to live a better life.
Unfortunately, we have learned to walk with our heads down and become isolated even though our global community extends into the billions.
My challenge for you in 2008 is to put a smile on the face of people who surround you each and every single day.
I think if we make a conscious effort at this, maybe the next generation doesn't walk through life with there heads down. And just maybe, they may have twinkle in their eye when it comes to the holidays…
I might just have to stop by the mall this next weekend….And yes, I'll be making a stop to visit my friend Sis every single time.
Have a wonderful holiday,
Larry.
I wish you nothing but the best and brightest for 2008.
'Till next year...
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