Going the third mile brings satisfaction, joy

Recently in his weekly article in the South Bend Tribune, Bill Moor featured the retirement of Nancy Hartman. Nancy worked for Amtrak for 33 years. Starting out part-time, she became a full-time station ticket manager in South Bend in 2004. Much of Moor’s column was about how Nancy went the extra mile for her customers.

When Diane and I took our train trip to Seattle in 2019, one of the first persons we met at the South Bend station of Amtrak was Nancy. We experienced first-hand her going the second mile for her customers. The initial South Bend ticket agent who waited on us did not consider our entire trip but only ticketed us to Chicago. When Nancy got involved, she had us ticketed from South Bend to Seattle, with a layover in Chicago and a stop at Glacier National Park, then returning from Seattle to South Bend, with a layover in Chicago.

Nancy also gave us a copy of “Rail Vacations: USA & Canada – 2019-2020.” It was the only copy of the publication that I saw on the entire trip. At the front of the brochure is an Amtrak system map. It was very helpful as we traced our trip to and back from Seattle. The brochure also contained other helpful information. Nancy had gone the extra mile to make sure we had a copy of “Rail Vacations.”

Over the years, I have used the following text from the Sermon on the Mount, to emphasize the importance of going the second mile. “If anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.” (Mat. 5:40-42) Rather than giving the minimal that is requested, expected or demanded of us in any particular situation, we should do the little extra and go a second mile, or perhaps even a third one.

On our train trip to Seattle were one or two Amtrak employees who I would say were just doing the minimal that was required of them. However, on the whole most were doing a great job and made our journey a wonderful experience. Several I would say went the second mile. And then there were a couple who went the third mile, like Nancy Hartman. She set the tone for our whole trip and got us off on the right foot.

Who are the persons in your life who go the second and third mile to make your day a little better? Is it a family member, a co-worker, a person in an organization to which you belong, a person who provides you with services, a neighbor, or a friend? Many people impact our lives behind the scene. They go the second and third mile unnoticed. We live in a world with many caring persons who daily follow Jesus’ command to go the extra mile.

Do you settle for minimal in your own life? Do you just do what needs to be done to get by? Or do you go the second and third mile? When Nancy Hartman helped us with our trip to Seattle, she was happy, energetic, and excited about what she was doing. Going the second and third mile to help others brings satisfaction and joy.