Before Michael greeted me with words, he welcomed me to Chipotle with an enthusiastic ear-to-ear grin. The kind of smile that just refuses to hide.

“Hello mam’, how are you doing today?” he inquired benevolently.

Struck by his warmth, I returned the smile, offered a hearty affirmation that I was “doing very well!” and asked how he was.

And so the exchange continued as he piled the rice, beans, chicken, pico de gallo, cheese and lettuce into my bowl. After I had paid, he wished me a “blessed” day. (How often do you hear that in the public workplace? But that’s a tangent for another time.)

Our conversation did not move and shake the earth; Michael and I did not figure out what Ukraine should do with separatists, or how to squelch ISIS.

But…maybe his exceptional, genuine outpour of kindness and care is a glimpse into how to live more fulfilling lives as individuals. Or more precisely, his heart and purpose behind his warmth may start turning the key to the door of fulfillment.

Instead of being concerned about working a “menial” job, he was consumed by making a positive influence on whomever he encountered. He acted with purpose. He put others ahead of himself. As a personal testament, his selflessness and warmth refreshed me more than my paradise iced tea.

Michael’s uncommon care tells me that, from his perspective, a day well spent, at the very least, means making people smile. Even in his job, he has a purpose that far exceeds making burritos. He sees potential to bless people by serving more than chips. His reason for being there is more than the paycheck.

The Michaels of the world seem to run through something like this filter:

“Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and in the world to come.” –Henri Nouwen

I’ll leave you with this to ponder: In what or in whom can we invest in to ensure we sow meaningful seeds, so to speak, wherever we are, be it in a cubicle, on the Senate floor…or behind the bar at Chipotle?