Life Lessons at Dawn

Last night work started out bad. You know how you just know you're going to have a bad night? That's how it started. And I know that goes against everything defined by the law of attraction, but I just knew. First of all I didn't get a thorough nap before going in. I wasn't actually too fatigued, but the mentality of starting a shift without a good amount of sleep before hand got me anxious. Second, I was running late. Everyone on this Island is on vacation, making Ocean Drive an obstacle course of spectators, peddlers, clubbers and restaurant tables. When I finally got to work I was tired and a bit disorientated. My designated section was slow, and then totally emptied out once it started raining. I kept getting heckled by this other waiter about how I need to be more aggressive. Now if there is one thing I am sure of about serving, it's that everyone has their one style and if that's what works for them, if that's what brings in the green, than there is no need to change. I am a more passive, but personal server. I don't jump on people when they first walk in and I don't rush them through their meal to create a fast turnover. I'd rather provide thorough service and hope for a good over tip. The bottom line: It works for me and I bring in the green. So it was annoying that he was trying to convince me I could do it better by doing it differently. By 2am I was tired, not really making much cash and hungry.

Notice, however, that I said things started out bad. Around 3am things started to turn around. My section picked up a bit and I was bringing in some serious over-tips (anything over the 15% already included in the bill). My trying-to-help-but-annoying colleague had backed off. When I don't get a chance to glance at the clock in the course of an hour, things are looking up. At about 6:45 my manager came up to me and asked how I was feeling. I told him I was okay, why? He asked if I wanted to get out of there. When it's getting close to 7am and everyone is getting hesitant about taking tables because they want to cash out and LEAVE, it's a good time to be called off. I cashed out and walked away with a buck fifty. No, not $1.50. $150.00 And that is after tipping out the bartender, food runner and busboy. So as frustrating as the night began, it turned out to be very fruitful.

When I walked out of News Cafe at just 7 O'clock. The sunrise was beautiful and the beach beckoned me. I knew I probably wouldn't make it to Church at 10:30am so I decided to take some time to meditate and relax now. The sunrise was amazing over the Ocean, but as I walked down the beach towards the water I witnessed the saddest thing I have ever seen. A man was picking through the garbage, nothing out of the ordinary around here. But for the first time I actually watched as this poor person found a discarded take-out box with leftover and without hesitation, bite into it. As he ate it I found that I couldn't stand to look anymore. I was heartbroken, devastated and just overwhelmingly sad. This was the first time I'd actually seen with my own eyes a human being eat out of the garbage. I sat there on the sand, the sun making the most beautiful Mosaic out of the clouds over the turquoise sea, and I realized how unbelievably lucky I am. Thing get hard, things get incredibly difficult at times. I've felt lost, lonely, angry, broke, and sometimes all at once. But never in my life have I been without hope. Never have I felt every option expired, every chance gone. So I took that experience, the beach, the sunrise, the warm, salty breeze, the beauty of it all contrasted by the devastation, and I tucked it away inside me to always fall back on. I have so much, no matter how bad my feet hurt, no matter how tired I can get at 4am, no matter how challenging things can get, I am such a blessed person, and I hope I never take that for granted.