Pancakes For the Table
In our culture, we tend to treat giving like something that's reserved for the few wealthy. Giving is something we do when we make a certain income, have a certain amount of assets, attain a certain standard of living, have enough to make a large gift, or never lack anything. In other words, giving is something someone else does, and for "me," I'm not there yet. Behavioral science tells us that we're not "there" yet because we know someone who is financially ahead of us. We're not able to give yet because "I can't afford it yet."
There's a fairly famous sports podcaster named Big Cat. He's a funny dude who regularly pops up in my social media feeds. He went viral for something he recently said on his show (talking about going to diners with friends):
"I always get pancakes for the table. Unlocks the whole menu. It's the best. Everyone who steps into a diner is thinking in their head, 'Should I do pancakes?' But you don't wanna just do pancakes; but you'd eat pancakes. So you get pancakes for the table."
This might be the best life hack I've ever heard!!!! I can confidently testify that I'll be enacting this practice at diners in the future. However, I didn't share this story to give diner ordering best practices. This is a form of giving. Giving doesn't have to be some monumental deal. Sometimes, giving looks like ordering pancakes for the table. A small little blessing. Something unexpected.
No, small gifts like this might not change the world. BUT small gifts like this can put a smile on someone's face, brighten someone's day. That's the beauty of giving. Small, creative acts, exhibited over time, have the potential to change someone's world. Today, maybe making an impact means someone can order the Denver Omelet AND enjoy big fluffy pancakes.
As for us, the givers, seeing the people in our sphere smile at unexpected bonus pancakes will surely put an even bigger smile on our faces. That's called meaning. I say it all the time, but the giver receives more than the recipient. In this case, the recipient gets delicious pancakes, but the giver's heart changes in some small way. I'd call that a win....a huge win.
Don't convince yourself that giving is something someone else does. Don't fool yourself into believing that giving isn't giving unless it's some big fancy gift. Sometimes, it's pancakes for the table.
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