Lucky Shopping Cart

I have this little game I like to play with myself when the line at the grocery store gets long or slow.  I like to look at the contents of the carts around me to see what I can figure out about the other shoppers.  I mentally high-fived myself when the boy in line in front of me called the man with him Grandpa.  I had already determined this relationship, not by the age of the man (he looked pretty young), but by all of the crazy snacks they were unloading onto the conveyor belt.  They were the the kinds of things parents say no to, but you don't even have to ask grandparents for: candy, marshmallows, green drink, chips, and more.  I had also determined that the woman in front of them was both a grandma and a widow.  She had a few premade dinners, among other things, and did not seem to have anyone at home to eat with her.  We had bonded in the cereal aisle when she showed me a little dog that played Christmas songs and did flips.  She was thrilled.  As this treasure was loaded into her cart, I prayed that there was a grandchild or someone coming over soon to share one of her dinners and her delight with the dog.

Since the line was both long AND slow, I had plenty of time to turn my attention to the contents of my own cart.  Besides the usual suspects- milk, butter, and meat- I found a whole series of items that led me to one simple conclusion.  Man, I am lucky.

Tomato, cilantro, jalapeno, avocado... I am lucky to have a husband who prides himself on making the best guacamole I've ever had.  Seriously.  I know that's true because he told me once, "This is the best guacamole you've ever had."  I am happy to be his sous chef in the kitchen and in life.  I am also happy to take on the head chef role when need be. ;)

Whole milk and chorizo... I am grateful that I have a little guy at home to enjoy these things to the fullest.  It's hard sometimes to fit two gallons of milk into the refrigerator, but fitting our little man into our lives has been one of the easiest and clearly one of the most enjoyable things we've ever done.

Ground beef, taco seasoning, rice with some flava... did I mention it's Mexican night at the Ferri household?  We'll make more memories with mariachi music, green guacamole faces, and legit dance parties galore.

Snacks, snacks, snacks... I am blessed to have a job that I love.  These "emergency snacks" are stashed in and around my desk to hold me over until my frantic twenty minute lunch.  It turns out just about every day holds an "emergency" that constitutes a trip to the drawer, but each day also comes with a great deal of joy.  Even when that twenty minute lunch is my second one of the day, I sure do enjoy laughing making jokes with my lunch girls that would make even the most audacious eighth grade boy blush.

Wet lettuce?  I am lucky to be oh so easily amused.  I think everyone should find it particularly delightful when the vegetable sprayers coming on and "Singin' in the Rain" pipes over the loud speakers.  For real.  Just enjoy it.

When I got through the inventory of my cart, I found myself still taking inventory of my blessings.  I thought about how thankful I am for the fact that my love of food, cooking, and family dinners came from the insistence of my parents to have all three in our household, no matter how crazy our sports schedules or how empty our bank accounts.  I was grateful that I would not have to question, even for a second, whether or not my credit card would be approved.  This is not something I take for granted.  Most of all, I was thankful to have a moment in a busy day that could help me to once again find clarity and perspective from the blessings in my life.

Thank you, lucky shopping cart, you made my day.      

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