Excerpt taken from ‘The things you can see only when you slow down’ by Haemin Sunim

I am a waitress at Miso Noodle Bar in Bromley. A stereotypical view of these so called ‘dead end’ jobs is they are low paid, requires much physical effort as well as mental energy and are just so damn tiring. Yes, there is an element of truth in it. And one could say ‘I will not stay here for long’ and ‘I hate it here’. I have had previous experience in working in cafes and restaurants. And in all honesty, I don’t mind it.

At the end of the day, what you want to gain from the day is just as important as how a customer would want to feel good about their experience in the restaurant themselves. I am not here just for the money, I am here to make those around me happy. I am here to stimulate energy into a repetitive environment, so that my smile can naturally be transmitted to each and every individual. I want to be happy myself, and feel it in my bones, so I can have a spring in my step.

Ultimately, customers come first above everything. The moment they walk through that door, its as if you treat them like royalty. The moment you leave a good first impression, they will feel welcome and warm inside. Shout out to Grace40 cafe, down the road of my work, who are a handful of such lovely Italians with big hearts, and make me feel special every time I go in with their cheery welcome and GOOD HOT DRINKS.

The strenuous, hard work chefs in my restaurant put into making the food deserves to be served with a smile, along with saying ‘enjoy’ . And that extra bit of effort will make customers enjoy their food even more. Infusing good energy into the atmosphere, makes a difference to their general experience.

I am not the fastest worker in the restaurant, and maybe I forget to do other things like chopping fruit behind the bar or so forth but I am willing to improve.

I like to sometimes talk to customers during quieter periods. These are golden moments, where by on an intimate level you can gain a snapshot of their lives, an insight of their character and just genuine good interaction.

I believe it all depends on your attitude towards your job and the motivation behind why you have chosen to be there. I hope this blog post has revealed these two things.

Waitressing can be fulfilling if you want it to be, especially if the customer is very satisfied, rewarding you with thanks, a tip, finished off with a big smile on their face.

This is the recipe of life

Said my mother

as she held me in her arms as I wept

Think of those flowers you plant

in the garden each year

they will teach you

that people too

must wilt

fall

root

rise

in order to bloom.

By Poet Rupi Kaur

I just want to express how proud I am to be a woman. And to all the amazing woman out there, history has been heavily shaped by your strong influences with regards to TV, media, art, authors, poets, activists, nurses, doctors, singers. To all mothers, sisters, daughters, and nieces, the nature of womanhood could not go on with out you all. So thank you to all. I want to dedicate a poem to my mother who is one powerhouse of an amazing woman. Bit of a cheese won’t harm anyone right? 🤭

The core strength of her being

Is reflected in her dynamic heart

To love.

To give.

To live.

She is worthy of love

For her selflessness

Elevates her humility

To serve

Raising the sunshine

Through her eyes

Grace fiills her smile

Mountains move beyond mountains

As the river of her troubles

Run deep

Yet the skies of His love will

Protect her.

And we will rain fresh water

On all the flowers she nurtures.

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