Always Look For The Rainbow

In a world of negativity, look for the positives. Notice the rainbows.

As I arrived at work on Friday sprinkles of rain splashed down onto my head. Rain usually means few customers come to the ice cream shop, which unfortunately for the employees, means we most likely won't make great tips. All of my coworkers and I were huddled in the little shop waiting for any sign of customers or sunshine. Throughout the night very few people came to the store. We watched as cars pulled into the parking lot and waited for a little to see if the rain, thunder, and lighting would slow, just for them to decide to leave rather than face the storm. We figured the night was going to be a bust, but something changed. One customer bolted from his car to the shop eager for some ice cream.

The Coronavirus has led us to implement new procedures to keep employees and customers healthy. These procedures mean that some employees have to go outside to take orders while the others inside prepare the ice cream. One of the other girls I was working with met the man outside to get his order. I handed out the ice cream and closed the window.

Soon after, Maria, the girl who went outside, hurried back into the shop. I assumed she was just excited to get out of the rain, but she dashed inside for another reason. With her eyes wide she told everyone in the shop that the man had given us a tip SIX TIMES the cost of his order! Our mouths dropped open and we all just looked at each other in shock. Maria explained that she had asked the man if he knew how much he was giving us, his response was that he could tell that the rain was going to make business slow.

This man did not need to give us any tip if he didn't want to, but instead he looked at the somewhat negative situation, and decided that he wanted to make it more positive. Later that night as I was cleaning outside the rain went down to a drizzle. I looked over to my right and saw a rainbow stretched across the sky. A night that had been filled with darkness and thunder, was now filled with beautiful colors.

In this situation, a generous customer used money to create a "rainbow" of positivity, but money is not the only way to do this. Showing gratitude with a simple, genuine "thank you" is an easy and free way to spread positivity. Smiling at someone even when you don't know them can make a grim day great! Seeing so many people brighten my day has led me to look for ways I can create a more positive atmosphere for others.