I'm not a shopper. Shopping without money to spend, which is also known in girl talk as "window shopping" is like being on a diet and staring at a chocolate bar, knowing you can't eat it anyway. I just don't see the point.
But today, just after getting my glasses fixed since I had been wearing them crooked on my face, as Richard had been pointing out for some time, I did the unthinkable. I went into Kohls, if only to get a glimpse of a life I used to have; when I could actually try something on and buy it, guilt free, because the money was in the bank and more was on its way. But walking around a department store now is bittersweet, and not to say I didn't choose this single income, career change mid-stream life of mine, but sometimes it is bittersweet.
Like today for example, when every aisle I turned on had an over-sized J.Lo staring me in the face daring me to try on her new Fall Collection of fabulous. "Yeah, what--ever J.Lo, you aren't so fab, this is just Kohl's after all. Give it enough time and you'll be replacing Jacklyn Smith's cardboard cutouts at Kmart." But as everyone knows, J.Lo can buy anything she wants, and I can't. Even though tomorrow's my birthday (did I mention that tomorrow is my birthday?), shouldn't I be able to buy myself something by the time I turn 50, guilt-free?
Lucky for me I'm easily satisfied, so I picked a wonderfully scented autumn candle for my living room. Today was my lucky day. An $18.00 candle marked down to $8.90 plus tax. A birthday present to myself, which would bring me months of pleasure.
When I got to the counter I was happy to the point of manic with my simple pleasure; knowing I had snubbed J.Lo and I could still walk away satisfied. I was the first to ask the clerk "So how are you today?" That's all I said, I swear. I did not mention my birthday. He responded by taking the candle, studying it for a moment, and then saying "Hold on a minute, let me check something out. I can do better than this," and as he rang up the candle he put a Godiva Chocolate bar in front of me, gently wrapped the candle in paper, put it in a bag and said "That'll be $1.20." I started to ask...."Don't worry about it" he said "I had some extra coupons. Have a nice day."
Only then did I tell him that tomorrow is my birthday, and I thanked him more than once.
Today was my lucky day. You see, sometimes all it takes is a random act of a mere stranger, a clerk at Kohl's to reinforce that there is good in the world and balance to the universe.
I promise to pay it forward.
Sweet Dreams and Always GOOD Dreams,
~Renae~
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