There’s a film crew behind my house! They are filming the movie Loving. Richard and Mildred Loving, were a white husband and black wife who fought the system in the 1967 to legalize interracial marriage. It is exciting that such an important story is being remembered once again right in my backyard! They brought in vintage cars and are set up right in front of the drug dealers’ house..they will be missing out in a lot of money over the next week but maybe they can finally take a vacation!

This got me to thinking how awesome it must be to work on sets and travel all over. They get to work with actors and directors (the one in my backyard directed MUD with Matthew McConnaghey). It would be a pretty cool gig.

I think, in any career, there are pluses and minuses. What really makes a job (for me)  is the people I work with.  As I’m aspiring to be a writer, it’s a good thing I like my own company… Seriously, though; if I worked anywhere else, I wouldn’t know the crazy bunch of guys and girls from my restaurant.

I met one of my best friends, Nick, through work. He’s the first person I thought of when I saw the film crew, because he wants to be a director and is a huge cinephile (his word, not mine). I wish he could see this, but he’s got a lot going on right now.

I led a Bible study with Heather and Tiffany for girls from our job. We learned from Chip Ingram and Beth Moore. We talked about grace, rape whistles, and Aunt Jemima. Heather thought Aunt Jemima was Jamaican and that rape whistles whistled “rape”. Later, Amy and I prank- called Heather and said “rape!rape!rape!” in our best whistle voices. Then realized we’d dialed the wrong number. Sorry, random lady in Pennsylvania.

I prayed in the parking lot with a coworker who’d had enough and wanted to give it all to Christ.

I ate lunch in Kampala, Uganda with my coworker/friend Aisha.

I’ve gone roller skating with my hilarious coworker Rebecca. She wore a cat vest.

I cried when I learned my General Manager’s wife had been hit and killed by a freak road rage accident while attending her high school reunion in New York.

I had Way Back Wednesday with another manager. We’d pick an old school rap song and put it on the loudspeaker and sing along after closing every Wednesday.

I rallied with my co-workers when Dustin fell from a second story balcony and was in a coma.

I’ve gotten to know such a diverse group of people through my job and share both day-to-day life and major milestones: babies, weddings, deaths, promotions.

If I worked somewhere else, I wouldn’t know any of them. I wouldn’t be able to laugh with them,  pray for them, or share in their lives. It’s weird to think about.

My circle of influence is unique and I am grateful for it. Even though my job isn’t my “calling”, I am called to love well there. Some days I succeed better than others.

Teachers, waitresses, lawyers, SCUBA instructors, pepperoni salesmen, royal dignitaries: you have an “in” with the people you work beside day in and day out. Do you see those people as valuable and special? Do you cherish the opportunities to do life with this unique group of individuals?

Question: Where is your unique circle of influence? Are you making the most of it, or just wishing you weren’t there? How could you love those people better?