The bricklayer of Kerbey Lane Cafe.

One of the unexpected joys of traveling as we do is the experiences we share with the people we meet.?

We met this lovely young lady, Ellie Mae, at Kerbey Lane Cafe when we went to breakfast. This well-known diner-style restaurant harkens back to "Old Austin."? (We had selected Kerbey Lane because they serve breakfast all day, and we found ourselves sleeping late, recovering from Jet Lag, arriving at the tail end of the noon rush).

Ellie's service was efficient and friendly. As she ran from room to room in the restaurant, it was hard to miss that she never stopped smiling. As we learned before we left, we were Ellie's "last table" of that shift.?

As her section of tables emptied, she stopped by our table again, and I complimented her on her attitude.?

As she described what fueled her good nature, I was reminded of the fable of the three bricklayers. When asked what they were doing, the first bricklayer replied, "I'm laying bricks, just as I have been told.” The second one said, "I'm raising a wall to make a living and feed my family." But the third one declared, "I'm building a cathedral!"

Ellie Mae ensures that people receive their meals promptly without errors and that she consistently goes above and beyond what is expected in terms of the hospitality she extends. She wants the people she serves to feel good about being in the restaurant and feel cared for. Ellie shared a few stories about her grandmother and was happy that her work gave her the free time to cherish their relationship.?

As she opened up, she also shared that she is in a 12-step program. She recognized that the quality of her life had improved immensely and that caregiving, as she could now do with her grandmother, brought her joy. At that point, I shared that I was celebrating my 41st year alcohol-free. We both enjoyed the serendipity of the moment. Ellie is making her life more meaningful by how she chooses to view her work.?

She is a role model and an inspiration. We can all choose to make our life's work more meaningful by sharing the amount of our hearts with those around us. If you are in Austin and looking for a late breakfast served with a smile, head out to Kerbey Lane (on Cannon Drive)? and ask for Ellie Mae. She will make your day!? Come on! Look at that smile!?

And a special shoutout to Claire, a beautiful woman from Ireland who worked as our remote administration assistant, who shared this congratulations along with the math she calculated on my behalf:

"Good on you, Moe. That is some achievement: 41 years. I have broken down in time all of the time you have gained from the hard work that went into it.?

492.33 Months?

or

2,139.29 Weeks?

or

14,975 Days?

or

359,400 Hours?

or

21,564,000 Minutes?

or

1,293,840,000 Seconds?

Lots of love,

Claire"

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