Lagniappe was a favorite word of mine while growing up in south Louisiana. Yes, I am a registered cajun who is a Partner in a personnel recruiting firm and has spent the past 25+ years interviewing thousands of people with a wide range of background and experiences. The consistent theme I found was those who seemed satisfied, content, maybe even slightly successful had an air of lagniappe about them. For those who have not yet “passed a good time” in the bayou state, the word lagniappe is a french word meaning “a little bit more”. In my grandparents time, when you went to the store to purchase flour, it did not come in handy bags but rather in a large barrel where the storekeeper would scoop the 3 lbs you asked for and added an extra scoop for “lagniappe”, the cajun equivalent of a baker’s dozen. There is something special about those who can see the extra things that life has to offer, and who find ways to put a little bit more of themselves in what they do, be it family, fun, music, church or just enjoying the sunset. May you experience a little “lagniappe” each day.
