Dash of Courage: Joshie the Giraffe

"Excellence is never an accident." - Aristotle

A few years ago a family checked out of the Ritz-Carlton in Florida...
and accidentally left behind someone very important.

"Joshie", their son's stuffed animal giraffe.

If a child has ever lost their favorite toy, you know this is DEFCON 1 level panic.
To buy time to locate the missing giraffe, the boy's dad did what all great parents do:
He made up a Story.
He told his son "Joshie the Giraffe" wasn't lost,
Joshie just decided to stay on vacation a little bit longer.
(What a great Dad).

The hotel staff could've simply mailed Joshie back.
That's all anyone expected.
That's not what they did.

They adopted the story and elevated it into a masterpiece

They did a full photoshoot of
Joshie lounging at the pool in sunglasses
Joshie wrapped in a spa robe receiving a massage
Joshie driving a golf cart...and even
Joshie working security (VIP Badge included)

They texted photos to the parents to show the young boy.
They even printed an entire photo album and overnighted it back along with Joshie.

The Dad said his son squealed with excitement when he saw it.
But here's the truth:
They didn't have to do any of this.
And that's why it mattered.

During the Holidays, when everyone is tired, stretched thin, and managing a hundred things, someone choosing to go beyond what is expected becomes unforgettable.

The Ritz-Carlton didn't return a toy
They returned joy and wonder.

And it makes me wonder:
How many times could we be someone else's "Joshie story" if we simply choose to go one step further?

Dash of Courage
This holiday season, exceed on purpose.
Do something small that feels big.
Write the note. Make the call.
Go the extra inch, the extra mile...the extra moment.

Because someone's heart may need it more than you know.
And years from now, it might be the story they still tell.

Courage over Comfort,
Garrett