On Grocery Stores

Prepare yourself because what I’m about to say may simply blow your mind. Are you ready? You sure? Okay. Grocery stores are magical.

No, I mean it! That wasn’t a joke.

Let me explain. Every Sunday afternoon I drive two miles to the grocery store. There’s one 1/2 mile from my house, but it is not as nice, and I truly value my zen-like grocery shopping time, so I make the trip. On the way I stop for a coffee which I then take with me. Once I get to the grocery store I find a small cart that makes as little noise as possible, I put my headphones in my ears, turn my music on, and check things off of my pre-compiled list as I go. I start from the non-perishables, followed by produce, followed by meat and dairy, and lastly frozen foods. This is my system. It’s slightly neurotic, but it works. Anyways, every week I go to the grocery store and every week I love it more and more because every week it’s fascinating.

Grocery stores are some of the most unique places that we encounter in our daily lives. Food is a necessity and grocery stores provide that necessity. Because of that human beings of all kinds congregate in oneplace with the same purpose! That is, we join forces to purchase food so that we can sustain our lives. How amazing is that?! All races, all sexual orientations, all religions, all ages, all types, in one place.

What’s even more astounding about grocery stores is that while we’re all in that enclosed space, pushing our carts around each other, waiting our turn to get milk from behind the refrigeration door,standing in line, we’re doing so peacefully, orderly, and [mostly] with respect for one another. In my eyes, this is magical.

Here’s my wish; I wish is that this magic could translate to all facets of our lives; that we could all recognize our commonalities and combined goals (in the case of the grocery store, wanting to eat) so that we can work together to meet those goals.

So next time you’re at the grocery store take a look around you, appreciate the beauty that is unified movement toward a combined goal (no matter how mundane that goal may be), and learn something about humankind.

Keep on thinking,

Josie