empathy in retail

This evening there was an experience at a retail store, Apple. After meditating at a counter while a new phone was doing whatever it was doing to get ready for utilization, I got up and started to depart. Something compelled to cross the other side of the store, there was a woman working, yet clearly dressed differently than others. She was wiping counters and screens to clean.

I saw her, and, there was a moment, and another, and another. When we say, “may all beings find happiness,” there’s no preference. It means all beings. I felt compassion, and love. Why is she cleaning and not helping customers? After visiting so many stores in life, and many tech, retail, automotive, and other stores, there is a clear preference for image over meaning, and it’s too bad.

“Work harder,” is the moral equivalent of “let them eat cake.”