Welcome. You might recognize today’s theme as a play on the title of a very popular holiday tune. I was put in mind of this over the weekend after a trip to the mall. I was under the mistaken impression that we were done with our shopping. Except for a gift card and a few incidentals, I really thought that we were done. I was actually bragging to my friends at work that we had been done for some time now and that if Christmas wanted to start this afternoon, we’d be ready. Well, that wasn’t entirely true.
Now, to be fair, part of our reason for going to the mall was to get the girls out of the house for a while. After getting 15 inches of snow earlier in the week, cabin fever was setting in really early this year. So into the fray we went.
We got a glimpse of what the afternoon was going to be like two blocks from the entrance to the mall, as we sat in traffic that would take another ten minutes to get to the actual mall parking lot. Once there, we found a parking spot that was quite a hike from the mall, but it was a nice day for a walk so it was o.k.
Inside the mall, the number of holiday shoppers wasn’t as overwhelming as I’d imagined it might be upon seeing the parking lot. There were A LOT of people, don’t get me wrong, but you could still move around easily. In the stores was where the real congestion was. It made it hard to see things and made me feel rushed while looking at items we were interested in. But we managed to find what we were looking for and even got some ice cream.
When we finally made it back to our vehicle, it took us almost another 30 minutes to exit the parking lot. It really is true, it only takes a couple of people to ruin something for everyone else. The something I’m speaking of is the orderly flow of traffic out of the parking lot. Most people were very courteous and more than willing to let people in and keep things moving. There were a few however, who did what they could to bring things to a halt. One guy in particular forced his way into the traffic pattern, turning left, and stopping four lanes of traffic by himself.
But all in all, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Parts of it were even enjoyable. Who would have guessed that it was possible? I think I’m getting soft. Or just trying to find as much good as I can right now. Whatever it is, I’ll take it.
So, the gifts are finally bought. Hopefully they will be enjoyed. If not enjoyed, I hope the thought is appreciated. While we would like to do more, we are thankful for what we can do. And always, we try to remember that it’s less about the physical giving of a gift and more about remembering who’s important and special and why. And as we move toward another new year, here’s hoping that people everywhere get that message.
See you next time I’m playing in quicksand.
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