A few hours ago I drove past the former site of a restaurant where I used to eat fairly often and remembered being in there with a friend one night. He pointed to the cook, a rough looking character, and said, “He looks like “Junior” in Dick Tracy.”

Later on while I was paying the check I struck up a conversation with the cook. He turned out to be an easygoing man with a very pleasant disposition and who had been a cook for 20 years. “I love to see people eat,” he said.

I thought about the man’s great outlook. Then I had to ask myself about my own attitudes about work, relationships, and life in general, all of which have deteriorated lately.

I’m supposed to do my work we because I should love to see customers get good products.

I’m supposed to take my wife out on dates often because I should love to see her enjoy  getting R&R.

I’m supposed to nurture relationships because I should love to see the benefits that my friends and relatives get from them.

I’m supposed to go through life because I should love to see what God does in the world and understand it better.

I’m supposed to do those things just for those reasons, but a lot times I don’t.

The restaurant went under about 15 years ago. I really hope their cook fared better than the restaurant did over the long run. He deserved to.