An Open Letter to a Rude Individual

I have a newsflash for you.  You're not better than me.

Your level of education is not equal to your level of intelligence.  How far and how well you do in school does not always equal how successful you are in life (see Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, Charles Dickens...). It doesn't take a Ph.D, a Masters or even a Bachelor's degree to be a visionary.  At the end of the day, guess what?  We're all the same.

I graduated valedictorian from high school with an impressive transcript full of advanced courses.  I received over a half-ride for my college education based on not only my grades but also my talent.  I graduated Magna Cum Laude from a highly accredited private university. I chose to work at a coffee shop.

This particular job provides me with health insurance, which my other two (yes, that's a total of three) jobs are unable to provide.  My other jobs provide with joy and a tangible sensation of my imprint on humanity.  I work in the service of God.  I work in the service of youth.  I work in the service of theatre, music and art.  And I also happen to work in food service.  Make no mistake -  I chose this.

I don't know what kind of trauma happened to you to give you the ability to rationalize your cruelty and disdain for others.  Maybe it was a big trauma.  Maybe it was a little trauma.  But clearly you haven't dealt with it, and that serves no one.  Especially you, and certainly not others.  It would seem, though, that you care not for the service of others; perhaps you have the misfortune of caring only for yourself.  I am sorry that it happened to you, whatever it was or is, but it is not an excuse to treat someone the way I saw you treat my co-worker today.

I am proud of what I do.  I love what I do.  I don't want to serve coffee for the rest of my life, but for now, it is a means to an end.  I live for the few moments in between slinging lattes that I can make a difference in someone's day.

I pray that one day you will be able to open your heart and realize your potential to be a light in the lives of others instead of cruising through life as a candle snuffer.