Everyday I receive email. I bet you do too. Can be a real pain eh? But sometimes not so much.
Some of it I look at and delete — junk mail or sales on things I don’t need.
Some of it I smile and read — people I’m glad to hear from.
Some of it I read and file/save/delete — good enough for now, dealt with it.
Some of it I roll my eyes and unsubscribe — why did I think this weekly email was a good idea?
Some of it surprises me — okay rarely. Extremely rarely.
Got one yesterday from my credit card company’s bonus program. And it was a surprise. We have the program where you get points toward going to movies, buying popcorn, stuff like that. My wonderful wife and I LOVE going to movies. Kind of our go-to date. We go as often as weekly if there’s something we want to see. (can be tough to find).
With the pandemic of the last year plus, the movie theatres have been mostly closed. Sigh. We wait not very patiently for the day we can see a movie in-theatre again, hopefully soon. But as a result we’ve been piling up points so that we have over 37,000. That’s a bunch of movies.
So, I get this email that reminds me that I can use the points at my favourite burger joint, where the cheeseburgers are beautiful things. It tells me I can save $375 on my meal. That’s a lot of onion rings! I would have to set up a tent outside the restaurant and just eat burgers and onions rings for quite awhile. And it might cause me to leave a slime trail as I walk due to the grease afterward.
Now I knew I had those points. And I knew I could use them at certain restaurants. But I forgot, overlooked, or didn’t prioritize my points as ammunition for burgers and rings. It was there all along. And I missed it. Didn’t suspect. It wasn’t a secret. It was just overlooked.
Makes me wonder what else I’ve overlooked, or didn’t suspect? Getting my favourite cheeseburger and rings for free because of some points is a small thing but a fun idea. And I almost missed it.
I’m thinking as I look at the summer unwinding before me, what else might I be missing? Pandemically speaking, there are still restrictions. But what could I see, do, experience in this summer? Could be something new or something long undone. I’m going to look for those things and I encourage you to as well. Could be a great time for you on your own or with family and friends.
Look, find, be surprised and go for it. I’m starting this week and the simple yet joyous please of a cheeseburger and rings.
God bless,
Jim
