In general, I hate going to the grocery store. I live in a small town and our little grocery store has gone from bad to worse. I could drive 20 miles and go to Cub, but I can’t think of a bigger waste of my time than to DRIVE to get somewhere to do something I hate doing.
On Tuesday morning, I was bemoaning the fact that I absolutely had to get groceries. Our cupboards were bare and there was a snow storm on the way. In fact, it had already started and, to hear the newspeople tell about it, we could be snowed in for days. To add to the drama, Tuesday is senior citizen discount day at the local grocery store and the aisles are quite full of seniors anxious to get their 5% discount. I love seniors, don’t get me wrong, but let’s just say that Tuesday morning is not the day to run in and quickly pick up a few groceries. So, I moaned some more as I made my list and as I moaned a vison came into my head. It was not a vision of sugarplums but instead a memory of the women I saw last year in Africa. They would carry all sorts of things on their heads transporting them to their homes.
At one of the villages we visited, Children’s Cup (the organization we were working with) had put in a well. Up until that time, the women were walking for two to three miles to get their water, and then carrying it back on their heads! And, I’m whining about driving three blocks, and walking 50 feet in the snow, into a warm grocery store, to get whatever I want to eat? Don’t get me wrong, I still didn’t enjoy the trip to the grocery store, but it did put the whole thing into perspective for me.
Perspective is a wonderful thing. On senior citizen discount day at the grocery store, it reminded me to be grateful for all that I’ve got. What are you grateful for today?
It’s amazing things that get put into perspective! There is almost always someone else whose challenges are greater than our own.