The Resilient Mind

There was a season of my life when IHOP wasn’t just a restaurant.

It was my office.

Back then I didn’t have a car. I didn’t have a place to call home. Most nights I’d spend hours at IHop working on my websites, social media pages, blogs, and business ideas.

I’d order coffee when I could afford it.

When I couldn’t… I’d just sit there and work.

There was a waitress who started recognizing me. We’d talk from time to time. She knew I worked hard. She knew I did moving jobs during the day and spent my nights trying to build something better for myself.

Sometimes she noticed I wasn’t ordering anything.

Without making me feel embarrassed, she’d bring me pancakes. Sometimes eggs. Sometimes just another cup of coffee.

She never made a big deal about it.

She simply showed kindness to someone who needed it.

Life eventually changed.

I got back on my toes, got an apartment and a car.

The moving business picked back up.

I was just creeping out of survival mode and things were moving in the right direction.

One afternoon, I pulled up to a stoplight.

Standing on the corner was a woman holding a sign asking for help getting a hotel room for the night.

As I looked closer, I recognized her.

It was the same waitress.

I don’t even know if she recognized me.

I didn’t stop to think about it.

I emptied my wallet and handed her everything I had. I had just finished a moving job and had cash from tips, so I gave it all to her.

It wasn’t about paying someone back.

It was about honoring the kindness she showed me when I had nothing.

That moment reminded me that life comes full circle.

Sometimes the person helping you today will need your help tomorrow.

Every time I walk into an IHOP now, I think about that story.

I think about grace.

I think about gratitude.

And I remind myself that no matter how far I go, I never want to forget where I came from and who helped me along the way.

Because being able to give back is what growth is all about.