A trip to Target and a lesson about “stuff”….

    The other day I decided to make a quick run to Target to pick up a few things that I really needed. I figured it wouldn’t take long, especially since I didn’t need much. I grabbed what I needed and stepped up to the checkout counter. There was only one customer ahead of me so I knew I would soon be out the door and on my way home. 

    Her basket was full of small items, and the cashier meticulously turned each one over in his hands a few times before he scanned it. This was going to take longer than I thought, but that’s okay. I have a lot of patience and I’m pretty good at entertaining myself. I played Ninja mind games, I played with shifting my weight, and I looked at a few magazines. Good grief, this was taking forever! 

    I was tired, my feet hurt, and I worried about getting home to let my dogs out. They are Italian Greyhounds, and they are notorious for being lackadaisical about their house training, especially when they’ve been left alone too long. They aren’t malicious about it; it’s just not high on their list of priorities. Finally, the cashier pulled off the sales receipt and handed it to the customer. She looked at it and said, “This isn’t right. You overcharged me.” Uh-oh.

    It took a few moments for him to realize his mistake. He put in a call for his supervisor. While we all waited for her to arrive, he smiled at me and said, “Miss, this is going to take a few minutes.” No kidding. He was a gentleman, and I wasn’t angry with him, especially after he called me “miss.” But I had already waited long enough, and I politely replied, “It’s okay; I’ll come back another time. I really don’t need all of this stuff right now, anyway.” 

    The minute I said those words, I realized how true they were. There was nothing in my cart that I did need, except for the box of dog treats. After all, I had to give my little darlings something to keep them busy while I cleaned up after them. Everything else was just “stuff” that was getting in the way of my getting home, putting my feet up, and playing with my dogs. What was I thinking?

    I already have enough “stuff” in my life, and you probably do as well. The last thing we need is to collect more. Instead, perhaps we could focus on getting rid of the “stuff” we already have that may be getting in our way. Sometimes clearing out the clutter helps us gain clarity. I’m going to remember that the next time I feel the need to pick up a few things, and I’ll think about what it is that I really do need instead.
    

Be healthy!
Cheryl Ilov, PT, GCFP