It Takes Two Hands to Clap!

"It takes two hands to clap", papa often reminded us. "Before you start to complain about the other party, think where you have gone wrong or how you could have contributed to the situation."

When Singapore scored 70% for good service, some people were surprised, for all they could remember was the poor service they had received!. These people wondered how Singapore could score 70 marks, which translated in the O levels, means an A2.

It is amazing how some people would enter a restaurant, with the attitude of "I pay, so you better give me your best service", forgetting that it is human beings with hearts and minds that are at work, not robots. A waitress at work on that day could be filled with a thousand and one worries about her ailing mother or child. A chef could be full of anxiety about his son's PSLE results. Some patrons do not allow room for errors or less efficiency. It must be the best all the time.

Having operated a restaurant for some 8 years, I can understand the many teething problems that plague many an outlet. The most common problem is employing of staff. This is why when I went to the River View Hotel to have my dinner as well as to listen to Freddy Kang's crooning of oldies, I often helped myself to water, extra cutleries, etc. Rather than fuming over the slow service (due to the huge dining area and seemingly few staff), I decided to walk the extra mile. The exercise was also good for me. This kept me and everyone happy. When settling the bills, I would still give a small tip as it would mean a lot to the service staff.

The Creator has given man two ears and one mouth, so that he could listen more and talk less. Likewise, I believe He has given us two hands so that we can use them to clap and by so doing, help to encourage one another. Let our applause be like music that inspires us to press on with our pursuit of happiness.