Contrasts give us gratitude and appreciation

Today I brought my car into the shop...

I accidentally went to the wrong dealership (same "automotive group" name, wrong auto manufacturer). The one where I first arrived was crowded with cars in the lanes, so my car was boxed-in and I was very confused. When I finally found my way into the service area, it was complete chaos; no one was helping customers, and, after a while, someone finally stabbed the question at me, "Yeah? What do you want?" It was a war zone. It felt like survival in the trenches.

I felt anxious on the outside, continually meditating on the inside, trying to keep my peace.

When I discovered that yes, I was at the wrong dealership (WHEW!), I made my way into the correct one. Honda. Wow, was a wonderful place: quiet location, accomodating, attentive, quick, hospitable (gave me a free rental car for the day!). It was like a cool drink on a hot day to work with them! It was like entering a veritable resort: they (unlike the other dealership?) realized that service and care was actually what that building was there for.

Gratitude washed over me. Appreciation. Joy at discovering this "haven" of service - and not simply for the wealthy, but for all. This dealership -- this business -- realized that happy (non-complaining) customers come from hospitable service!

Even bigger lesson: how much that "hospitality" and customer care --- HUMAN care --- is important. Even the smallest things, perhaps even saying hello, made a difference. Their service wasn't plastic or phony. . . something to remember in all my ventures.