Blog Post 1: Dear Customers

Four months ago, I posted an open letter on Facebook:

"Dear Customers,

"When I tell you I'm glad to be serving you, I am telling the truth.

"When I tell you I like my job, it's not because anyone ever asked me to.

"And when I say that I hope you have a good day, it's not because you've been nice, or even passably polite. You are not loved for what you do. You're loved for what you are.

"Do you want to come through my line and deride me for seeming happy a few more dozen times? Bring it on. I'll be here, and I will bag your groceries like a gift and tell you again, if not with my words with what I do, that you are important, that you are more loved than you're gross, you're more wanted than you're mean, and you're more looked-for than you're missing.

"Try me. I'll be here.

"Sincerely,

"The Cheerful Cashier"

Since then, I've rung up a lot of groceries. I've smiled at a lot of people who didn't smile back. I've met people whose mothers would be ashamed of them. I've had a lot more practice being cheerful.

And I've been asked to share my adventures.

I don't know if this will go anywhere. I don't have plans to regularly post. But, hello, fellow adventurers! My name is Joy. I work at my favorite grocery store in the entire world. Life is hard, but I'm with Jesus, and it's always worth it. I am that cheerful cashier.