I may have mentioned once or twice that I am not the type of person who enjoys shopping trips, especially to department stores or the mall. When my daughter recently informed me that she was invited to a party during spring break, I braced myself, knowing full well that this would require a trip to a store to buy a gift for the hostess.
Last minute it seemed, we pulled into the local Wal-mart, a store which I have always considered the worst of the worst. There to greet me was a door greeter too engrossed with chatting with another employee. No help with the cart there. No morning smile. No sticker for my little one.
I chose to shop early, around 8 am, knowing that my ability to deal with too many shoppers and the store in general, was limited. The aisles were more spacious without other carts in front or behind me, and my daughter did find some nice pieces of jewelry to give. She even selected another piece for a different friend whose party was also upcoming.
As we were about to check out, I noticed some sales at the Ladies' Department. I momentarily considered how much my mother-in-law would have loved coming here. This store has a nice selection of plus-size garments, with affordable prices. With great elation, I found something suitable for her in less than five minutes (my type of shopping). With these being clearance items, the low cost was surprising for these fairly pretty fabrics. Of course, the excitement of the experience stopped when we reached the express lane -- not exactly rude, but an unfriendly sort of gentleman with a strong accent scanned my items. The only words he was able to exchange with me were how much the total cost was.
I tried to not let this robotic, perhaps ungrateful man (wouldn't anyone be happy with a job in this economy?) ruin my shopping experience, and began to feel satisified that I had a nice gift to present, with other gifts, for a future holiday. When I reached home and was greeted by her (sometimes a rare experience), I was overcome with the sudden urge to just give her the clothes then and there.
And so I did, whole-heartedly. I truly wanted her to enjoy them, especially the pink blouse -- it was so perfect for the springtime.
My mother-in-law was very pleased. And I, despite the people I had to deal with when shopping at that store, felt happy, too. Gifts surely soften the heart and take us away from malice.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Another Errand
Every mother can relate. Multi-tasking is not an option, unless sleep deprivation is. Yes, I drive with a headset while scheduling appointments or inquiring about a credit card bill. Yes, I vaccum while three pots are boiling or frying dinner on the stove. Yes, I do my own checkbook paperwork while intermittently helping one of my children with math homework. I am a strong defender of multi-tasking, careful multi-tasking. Research can claim all it wants about the inefficiency of it. Without the the idiomatic killing two birds with one stone, my day would require at least 27 hours for me to finish what I need to have done.
That said, I am impressed, even a little envious, with the pace of the elderly. Bathroom visits section off a good portion of time for many. Cooking entails slow simmering, eating requires careful chewing, which equates to savoring the flavors and textures of each part of the meal. Walking may at times be a struggle, but the deliberate steps allow one to really stop and smell the roses. Watching a television show, or engaging in any form of recreation, is Zen-like.
Tomorrow I have plans to take my mother-in-law to the medical center. I partly dread it. It takes time from my normal schedule, my children, me. I worry about our conversation in the car, what she says, and how I respond. My OCD pet peeve hovering about me -- will she cover her mouth when she coughs or sneezes in the car? When she had first arrived to live in our home, I took her out frequently. She had more dental, medical, and specialized visits than I ever had! In addition to mammography, bone scans, gynecology, and dermatology injections, she had met with nutritionists and a few times, physical therapists. Despite all the health care, she still felt she was not being treated well at home, and from that point, our outings had been limited to the essential physical check-ups, vision, and sick visits. I was prepared at one point to just relegate the driving and supervision of those visits to someone else, a hired hand, for instance. But that is another story...
To help me prepare for this trip, I pack ahead and brainstorm how I can multi-task. I'll grab the incoming morning mail and read it in the waiting room, along with my newspaper, if my toddler allows me. I'll feed this boy mashed organic bananas from those convenient Gerber tubs, and write my to-do list for the following days. If I need to push the stroller around I'll make the calls I need to make to my older kids' schools, to the electric company, maybe a friend. I'll multi-task so that I won't feel my morning time will be swallowed up from driving and waiting and driving some more.
But more importantly, tomorrow I, Dilara Channing, will try my best to enjoy and relish each moment of this trip. It is my duty to help out anyway, is it not? If not to her, then to my God.
That said, I am impressed, even a little envious, with the pace of the elderly. Bathroom visits section off a good portion of time for many. Cooking entails slow simmering, eating requires careful chewing, which equates to savoring the flavors and textures of each part of the meal. Walking may at times be a struggle, but the deliberate steps allow one to really stop and smell the roses. Watching a television show, or engaging in any form of recreation, is Zen-like.
Tomorrow I have plans to take my mother-in-law to the medical center. I partly dread it. It takes time from my normal schedule, my children, me. I worry about our conversation in the car, what she says, and how I respond. My OCD pet peeve hovering about me -- will she cover her mouth when she coughs or sneezes in the car? When she had first arrived to live in our home, I took her out frequently. She had more dental, medical, and specialized visits than I ever had! In addition to mammography, bone scans, gynecology, and dermatology injections, she had met with nutritionists and a few times, physical therapists. Despite all the health care, she still felt she was not being treated well at home, and from that point, our outings had been limited to the essential physical check-ups, vision, and sick visits. I was prepared at one point to just relegate the driving and supervision of those visits to someone else, a hired hand, for instance. But that is another story...
To help me prepare for this trip, I pack ahead and brainstorm how I can multi-task. I'll grab the incoming morning mail and read it in the waiting room, along with my newspaper, if my toddler allows me. I'll feed this boy mashed organic bananas from those convenient Gerber tubs, and write my to-do list for the following days. If I need to push the stroller around I'll make the calls I need to make to my older kids' schools, to the electric company, maybe a friend. I'll multi-task so that I won't feel my morning time will be swallowed up from driving and waiting and driving some more.
But more importantly, tomorrow I, Dilara Channing, will try my best to enjoy and relish each moment of this trip. It is my duty to help out anyway, is it not? If not to her, then to my God.
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