Yesterday I did BIG grocery shopping. BIG grocery shopping is in theory supposed to keep me out of the store for two weeks. BIG grocery shopping includes replenishing food storage and getting sale items in addition to basic day to day needs. It's the kind that takes two hours, lots of energy, and a chunk of money---the kind that causes the checker to fold your receipt several times before handing it you---the kind that makes you too tired to prepare any of the food you just bought---the kind that takes two days to put away---the kind...you get the picture.
I do feel blessed to the point of being humbled to be able to load up my shopping cart. Grocery shopping can be a pleasurable experience but it is an activity that in America involves an amazing number of choices. I like to have choices (sometimes I put a lot of effort into creating more choices for myself) but it wears me out to make them. After years of experience, I do know my way around the grocery store and I pretty much know exactly what I want, but there are a few products that bring consternation to the whole adventure...I spend too long deciding what shampoo to buy. Do I want my hair to be shiny, manageable, smooth and sleek, clean and clarified, mosturized, or volumized? Toothpaste is another tough one. Do I want toothpaste that freshens my breath, whitens my teeth, fights cavities, is tough on plaque, is easy on my gums or sparkles? Even white bread is not as simple to pick out as you would think. Do I want white bread that is whole grain or high in calcium, with added fiber or extra soft? I am a label reader and a coupon shopper which are both time consuming. Also, my daughter has a kind of restrictive diet so it takes some thought and effort to find something she can and will eat that also appeals to my husband's taste buds. So many choices...and then when you finally make it to the checkstand they ask if you want paper or plastic...one more choice before you go (Oh wait, there is always credit or debit?) I hope I am not the only one who has to take a minute to think before answering that question. (My oldest daughter always said that choosing between paper or plastic is choosing between killing a tree or choking a fish---I like trees so I usually choose plastic even though the thought of choking on a bag is not a pleasant one. I do feel sorry for fish that meet this fate but I really really like trees and I re-use the plastic bags to line my household wastebaskets so this lets the fish live a little longer)
Have you ever thought about what you can really purchase at the average grocery store? There are drinks that give you energy and even help your mental focus, there is soap that wakes you up, shampoo that repairs your hair, cereals that fortify you with vitamins, power bars that help you jump higher and run faster, makeup that firms, pantihose that shape and support, feminine products that give maximum protection, toothpaste that whitens and brightens, lotion that gives you younger skin, yogurt that builds strong bones, mouthwash that fights bad breath, and cookies that put a smile on your face. Who would have thought that a trip to the grocery store could do so much in helping you feel new and improved?
It gives new meaning to---Clean Up On Aisle 3
Happy shopping!
