Paying Attention

Okay, I know I do this too, so I shouldn't really complain...

I walk into Subway today and the lady that is always there was... you guessed it... there. I don't actually know her name, and I doubt she actually knows mine, but I should probably find out (Considering it's less than 2 minutes from the office, I usually grab lunch there once every other week... once a week if things are busy and I don't go home for lunch, so I see her fairly frequently. I'm surprised she doesn't know my order yet). But that's not the point.

She goes to ring me up, looks at me and says, "You look tired today."

Now I'm not gonna lie.... this has always struck me as a polite way to say, "You look like crap." Thanks. Thanks a lot.

But, I suppose it is just our way of showing that we pay attention to the people around us. So her saying I looked tired today... means she has at least noticed how I normally look and act, versus how I looked and acted today. (I am sick, so she was right.... I was tired, and feeling rather crappy.... so I suppose she wasn't too far off.)

I guess in the end, even though the whole "You look tired" euphemism kind of irritates me, I appreciate the fact that she has paid enough attention over the past several months to notice me, and notice when something was off. That's pretty impressive when you consider the number of people I'm sure she encounters on a daily basis who just want their turkey sandwich with lettuce and tomato, light on the mayo...

So I guess my question is, "Are you paying attention to the people around you?" Would you notice if they were having an off day? Would you ask them about it, even if you hardly knew them? And would you be ready for a real answer?

I want to be someone who notices, asks, and listens.

"Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle."
~Romans 12:9-10 (Msg.)