Oh, the joy of my Saturday, grocery shopping. I do a lot of my grocery shopping at Walmart. I know, most people think it's a really evil place (but still shop there*). I agree it may be evil, although I've not done any research into their evil practices, and I'm not convinced that Kroeger (who own Dillons) have any better practices or ethics. Anyway, the shopping experience at Walmart, especially on the weekend, is less than appealing. I would LOVE to do more of my shopping at other stores, and I've been shopping more at Prairie Harvest since summer, but my budget just won't allow me to do all of my grocery shopping there. And the PH shopping experience . . . wonderful, soothing even. Anyway, in my shopping I observed soooo many grouchy, unhappy people. I generally smile and try to make eye contact with those I meet in the aisles. Today, people, for the most part, were having nothing of it (although I did see a few friendly faces and appreciated them immensely :). People were downright crabby and even mean. One guy pushed his cart right up to mine while I was stopped to get an item off the shelf and just stood there glaring . . .like, get out of my way. I saw the same guy later muttering loudly about people stopping and talking in the aisles. I guess I kind of look at it like driving, just because one person might be rushed or in a hurry, that doesn't mean everyone has to be, right??? And it made me think. Peace is HARD. It's hard to be peaceful in our own homes sometimes, at least it is in mine. And it's hard where we work. And it's hard at the grocery store. But I have to hope that little things make a difference. I know it made a difference to me today when someone smiled. It would have been easy to join into the crabby, grouchy, unhappiness around me and maybe that's what happens when things fall apart and violence erupts. It's contagious. Today I chose to let the smile be contageous.
* I really admire people who believe something strongly, like Walmart is an evil place, and then show their belief by not supporting something, like Walmart. I have trouble sometimes when people go on and on about how evil a place is, but still shop there :) Hmmm, maybe this is grist for another post!
* I really admire people who believe something strongly, like Walmart is an evil place, and then show their belief by not supporting something, like Walmart. I have trouble sometimes when people go on and on about how evil a place is, but still shop there :) Hmmm, maybe this is grist for another post!
1 comments:
Hi Beth. I love to complain about Wal-Mart and I also shop there, almost weekly. But I do hate the place, with an imperfect vengeance :). I also dislike Dillons but enjoy it because it's cleaner and quieter than WM--at least the south location is generally quieter, I find. Wal-Mart allows me to enjoy some of the luxury goods I think I'm entitled to, like Nutella, expensive cereals, chocolates, Sun Chips, fancy chicken bouillion, Annie's Mac 'n Cheese that would be fifty cents or so more expensive at Prairie Harvest... I wonder why I feel so entitled to complain about Walmart and still shop there. And I like the idea of you being peace to shoppers there. I think I know what you mean.
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