Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.
When the clerk calls for silence, I allow myself to get centered. I take a breath. Then I'm able to focus. What's the real issue? What's the real conflict? Am I upset about something? Is there a defect in reasoning somewhere? ... It allows me to wait, maybe even for someone else who may feel a little more clear to speak which is often the most shocking and interesting to me...It's like Wow, we're making progress. It's an exercise in togetherness.