Life Lessons are Everywhere

by Russell Tibbits

I walked three blocks north on Congress today to pick up lunch to bring back to the office. It was a little after noon when I arrived to pick out my soft chicken tacos and the lunch line backed up nearly to the entrance of the restaurant. As I stood in line, I glanced around at the other patrons. Almost all of them were business professionals in button down shirts, pressed slacks, matching belts and shoes.

However, the same could not be said for the person directly in front of me in the line of close to 50. His T-shirt was dusty and stained with sweat. His once black jeans, intermingling with chalky white patches, sported 6 inches of extra fabric bundled above his shoes. And while his left foot was covered by a battered black business shoe, his right foot dawned a brown sandal. It was clear this man had a life much more difficult than anyone else in the restaurant.

Standing in line for a few more moments, he cut to the right, past the others standing in line, and directly to the cash register. After speaking to the restaurant staff, he was offered a cup, which he filled with water and drank several times. I immediately sympathized with him; the heat index in Austin has been close to 110 degrees every day this week. And while I’d spent a couple of these days outside training for my next triathlon or playing volleyball, I’ve never questioned where I would go to rehydrate or when I would get my next drink of water.

Very polite and considerate, he filled his cup of water and then moved to the side to allow the other customers to fill their glasses while he drank. As I continued to watch him, I became more humbled by his presence for two reasons. Would I be willing to stand in the same line with professionals, in a stained shirt and mismatched shoes, so I could ask for a free glass of water? Or would I become embarrassed and find a reason to walk away? He also made me think of how often I care too much about what I look like, what amenities I can get, instead of being concerned with making sure my basic needs are met.

Summer has only just begun but twice already I’ve been humbled and learned life lessons in unexpected places by unexpected people.