Remember Me?

This afternoon my manicurist asked me, "How was your trip?" When I said, "Fine, thank you.", she followed up with "East coast, right? And you wanted clear polish in case you chipped a nail while traveling." That manicure was two weeks ago!

When I dropped something off at the cleaners the clerk wrote down my name - spelled correctly - before I could tell her. I go to the cleaners maybe once a month.

Ken's barber suggested that he use my shampoo since "Alice highlights her hair and is bound to use a gentle shampoo." I last saw Ken's barber at least ten years ago and he remembers my hair!

I consistently use that cleaners and that nail salon in part because I'm known there. Ken has followed his barber from Northbrook to new locations - each farther and farther away from home - because that barber truly cares about him.

It's both humbling and motivating to be known and remembered.

Humbling in that I'm not half as good at remembering as these folks! At BER seminars I try to use people's names throughout the day, but usually have to refer again and again to their name tags. I remember interesting stories, but often can't remember who told them. As a teacher I usually remembered either the student's real English name or their pretend Spanish name...but too often not both. I can't remember a phone number EVER!

Motivating in that I'm so aware of how good I feel when I'm known and remembered and want to show that caring to others. A fellow "ding-dong" (hand bell ringer at church) had to leave right after we played last Sunday to take her son and husband to the airport. At rehearsal this week I asked if her "boys" had gotten off on time. She positively glowed as she answered, her body language saying, "Yeah, someone cares!" Such a simple thing to ask, but such a hard thing to literally remember or remember to do!

Now I will try to remember how to post this blog, then I have to prepare dinner for that tall guy who seems to show up hungry every evening :-)