I like to kick-start my morning routine with a cup of coffee…maybe two! I make my coffee at home, but sometimes I like to stop by a coffee shop and order a signature drink.
This morning, I stopped by the Starbucks near my work. Joe, is the barista, he is very popular in the area. Everybody knows Joe.
I go to that Starbucks at least once a month, I don’t like their cappuccino! They add more milk and foam than espresso. I remember I asked Joe one time to add more espresso shots, he didn’t like it. He said, “this is how a cappuccino should be made!” 🙄
I didn’t say anything, but seriously, Joe needs to go to Italy and taste the real cappuccino.
Two weeks ago, I went to to order a coffee, Joe held a sharpie and a to go cup, then he looked at me and asked me what’s my name. So I replied “ Ima…”
and he didn’t let me finish my name and he said: “What? I can’t hear you!”
Me again “ Iman”, then he shouted “ What did you say? Alan, Enan,…”
I got so embarrassed! A line of people was behind me, all waiting for me to be done with my order and silly name.
So I replied “Jessica…my name is Jessica”
***I look nothing like a Jessica, but I had to end this embarrassing scenario.
Joe looked at me, wrote something on my cup, and looked at the guy standing behind me, and said “Next!”
“Oh! That was so rude!” I thought! But I didn’t say it! I grabbed my drink and went to work, I told my colleague what happened, and she thought he was rude!
Anyway, I went back to Starbucks today and Joe was there. Hmmm…I think I need to change my name again!
Joe smiled this time and said “ Hi miss, what can I get for you today?”
Me: “ Cappuccino…tall…extra dry please!”
He didn’t ask me for my name this time. I noticed he was writing something on my cup, so I thought he was writing Jessica. “Should I tell him my name is not Jessica?” I thought.
I picked up my coffee and hey! Surprise! He wrote my name and added a smiley face!
Joe is in a good mood today!
Lesson of today:
Don’t take it personally when someone mistreat you. You don’t know what or how that person’s day is going! Honestly, not much you can do here. I recommend avoiding interaction with that person. Don’t beat yourself up about it!
Put yourself in the other person’s shoes…
So often, we are so focused on our own wants and desires that we fail to look at the situation objectively. When we see things from another person’s perspective, we are able to separate our feelings and needs from what actually occurred and to look at things more objectively.
For example: Joe was nice, but this is the way he communicate with others! He tried to spell my name correctly, “My name is not popular.”
I had to be patient and spell out my name and not lie at Joe and give him a fake name!
Focus on the positive:
We can find something good in every situation and encounter. Instead of dwelling on what did or didn’t happen or what hurt us, look on the bright side. There is a silver lining in everything…Perhaps, I didn’t know the value of some things I had until I lost them. I was a fool! I don’t blame anyone for losing valuable things or maybe opportunities in this life, I don’t blame friends for maybe ditching me, I don’t get mad or blame when my emails or messages to some old friends don’t get answered. Hey! People change over the time, they have new lives and left the past behind! I blame myself only. I had an opportunity to fix things before loosing them forever, but here I am…too late now. I’m grieving friends I lost but they’re still alive. What I am focusing on now is to be happy, live and enjoy every moment, help others and make them happy, and good things will happen.
Ok, back to Joe…let’s say Joe on the surface I might think this person was being rude, if I was to dig underneath those behaviors I would find a kind loving person!
Joe is nice!
Carolina Mom 