Many who show this kind of kindness have, at some point, been on the other side of the table. They might have waited tables, worked in customer service, or endured hardship that taught them to see the invisible labor around them.
That experience leaves a mark—a form of empathetic memory. When they help clear a table, they’re not just being courteous; they’re remembering what it felt like to wish for someone to notice their effort. It’s an act of gratitude toward their past and toward life itself.
