[2022-04-30] People who feel like sunshine
Today, Mel, Chris and I enjoyed breakfast at Jimmy's Waffle World, a food truck in Stittsville that makes delicious waffles.
As amazing as the waffles are, what really stood out for me was Jimmy Lafrenière—proprietor, chef and, most importantly, a super nice guy.
As we drove into the parking lot just after 9:30 AM (eager to arrive as soon as it opened), Jimmy appeared in the window of his food truck, gave us a huge smile and waved. We immediately felt at home. He welcomed us as soon as we got out of our car and recognized Mel as a return customer. Mel told him that this was her parents' first visit.
Jimmy exuded warmth and positivity. His smile was inviting. His words were friendly. His patience was endless. I felt that he wanted only the best experience for us.
And we did have an awesome experience. The food was remarkable, but Jimmy was even more memorable. This wasn't simply a person who faked kindness because it was good for business. This is someone—I'm convinced—who is naturally loving.
My daughter later referred to him as an angel. People like Jimmy really are angels. It's not everyone who can make others feel better about themselves than they did before encountering them.
Jimmy's Instagram feed (@jimmyswaffleworld) includes a graphic of Snoopy giving a yellow balloon to Woodstock with the words "Stay close to people who feel like sunshine." Jimmy is like sunshine. And his waffles are like crisp clouds of heaven.
I have no affiliation with Jimmy Lafrenière and am not writing this post for any personal gain. (In fact, if I ate too frequently at Jimmy's Waffle World, the only thing I would gain—aside from a warm, fuzzy feeling—is a few inches around my middle.)
No, I share this reflection because I think that good people should be celebrated. I never take for granted a positive exchange with a service provider, knowing that many such conversations are, at best, neutral and, at worst, negative. In most cases, it's not their fault. The customer before me may have been rude or curt or simply wanting to be served with no regard for the person doing the serving. That's why I try to be a little sunshine to others, especially service providers. It often takes so little. Just yesterday, I told an agent at Sun Life after she helped me understand an aspect of our health plan coverage, how much I like the company's app, how easy it is to make a claim compared to the old days, and how good my service has been every time I've called. She was so grateful, telling me that I had made her weekend.
This morning's breakfast was a wonderful way to start what should be a beautiful, sunny weekend in Ottawa. Let's spread a little sunshine.
