Finding Calm Amid Chaos

Recently, I was on a shopping trip to the newly launched Lulu Mall in Kottayam, Kerala. After successfully establishing its first mall in Kochi a few years back, Lulu is now expanding its presence to other towns.

The Lulu brand holds a special place in the hearts of Malayalis, having its roots in the Gulf, where many families have at least one member working. This connection has fostered a deep sense of trust and popularity for Lulu among consumers in Kerala. In fact, while waiting at the cash counter of the hypermarket, the cashier was explaining about the loyalty program to the customer ahead of me and his doubt was whether he could avail the services of loyalty program in the Lulu shopping centres abroad as well!

Unlike other malls across the country, the Lulu Mall in Kottayam is primarily centered around a hypermarket and a fashion store. As I found myself in the bakery section of the hypermarket, I was met with a bustling crowd, with only two staff members attending to that particular area.

Customers were vociferously shouting their orders, and the servers seemed visibly overwhelmed.

I decided to wait patiently, hoping to catch the attention of one of the servers.

Eventually, one of the servers noticed me, and I calmly placed my order. She inquired if I wanted my items heated and then proceeded to pack them.

As she handed me the packet, she paused and said, “Sir, one minute. I need to say this: among all these people, you are the only one who is not shouting orders and is very calm. Thank you.”

Her unexpected comment took me by surprise, yet it brought a smile to my face and brightened my day.

This led me to reflect on how even inaction, can have an effect on another individual. The server was clearly having a challenging time managing the crowd, and I happened to have the luxury of time to wait.

But her decision to share her appreciation with me, inspite of being in a challenging situation herself, left a significant impact on my mood.

So Ilearned two lessons from this experience. Lesson number one - is the importance of not rushing people. Lesson number two — even when pressed for time, offering a simple compliment can significantly impact someone else’s day.

In a world that often feels hurried and impatient, a moment of calm and kindness can make all the difference.