On Feeling Thankful in a Drug Store Aisle
Every now and again I see something that overwhelms me with emotion. Today this happened while I was perusing a drug store’s shelves for toilet paper, moisturizer, toothpaste—items that never awaken any feelings whatsoever.
I was all set to check out when the card aisle, now teeming with various shades of red and pink, reminded me that I should send Valentine’s Day cards to my parents soon since we live 3,000 miles apart. I worked my way down the stacks of sentiments, reading through Snoopy messages and cheesy quotes before returning each to its place. As one who prefers self-deprecating humor I had a hard time finding a card that suited me and I’d already vowed to head to another store when I was distracted. To my right was an elderly woman with a walker and an oxygen talk, carefully picking out a card for a friend.
She was alone, guys.
Despite probably pushing at least ninety and being barely able to walk, let alone even breathe, she still pushed herself—and by the looks of it what a strain it had been—to get to the store to buy a card for a friend.
Do you see why I got all misty-eyed?
Maybe it’s because I spent 4 days in L.A. recently catching up with friends I’ve known for 30, 15, and 5 years, or maybe it’s just that I’m all weird today because the sun finally came out, but all of a sudden I felt grateful that there are so many wonderful people in my life who I’d make sure to get a card off to when I’m 88. Or 98. Or even 108.
And really, what more in life is there?
So there I was, all weepy on the inside and creepy on the outside, staring at this woman in the blatant non-New Yorker way that I’ve acquired in the two-and-a-half years since moving to Seattle, when she looked up at me and asked if she was in my way.
“No, not at all,” I smiled as I backed up and headed over to the check out lane.
Before I left I glanced back in the woman’s direction one last time. She was still reading through each and every card and I was still a little choked up.
In fact, I may still be.
