Jun
7
2017
Just Breathe
Posted in Daily Living 2 Comments
The lines at all the cash registers were quite long.
I decided not to go through the self checkout.
I chose instead to go through the express line.
The sign above clearly said: 20 items or less.
There were four people ahead of me.
However, when I looked at the voluminous carts in the other aisles, I stayed in the express line.
I could see the woman who was checking out.
I could see that her items were already in the reusable bags that the store provides.
I was holding my four items in my hand.
The man in front of me had only two items.
The woman in front of him had two items.
The woman in front of her had five items.
I counted because we were all waiting so long.
I counted because of the woman who was actually at the cash register.
The items in the reusable bags had not been paid for yet.
The woman was using the reusable bags to carry her items to the register.
The reusable bags were all inside her shopping cart.
The reusable bags were filled with loaves of white bread.
I tried to imagine why this woman would need to buy over 3o loaves of white bread.
Bread goes stale pretty quickly, unless you freeze it.
All sorts of scenarios went through my head.
I could see the people in front of me shifting their weight back and forth from foot to foot.
The four people in front of me were being very gracious.
Once you are in the checkout line, it is difficult to turn around and leave the way you came.
The woman with all the bread did not lift a finger to help the cashier.
She simply plopped her reusable bags down and expected the cashier to empty them.
The cashier was extremely sweet.
She never complained; she did what the woman should have done to help her.
A manager came over at one point and stood behind the cashier, answering a question.
Neither the cashier or the manager knew what to do about this woman holding up the line.
There was some sort of price discussion and the cashier remained calm and sweet.
I could see frustration on her face just a bit as she pulled loaf after loaf of bread from the bags.
The woman did not want her bread back in the reusable bags.
The woman wanted her bread to be placed in the store’s plastic bags.
The cashier graciously obliged.
When it was time to pay for her bread and some other things, the woman took out a checkbook.
The woman had to wait for the final total.
The woman had to ask who it should be payable to, so she could write it on the line.
The woman had to get out her ID.
The woman took the time to write the transaction in her checkbook ledger.
And the line behind her grew longer.
And the shifting of weight from foot to foot continued.
No one complained.
Everyone was fascinated by the entire ordeal.
The woman left with her reusable bags folded in the top of her shopping cart.
The woman left with more bags of white bread than I could count.
The next customer spoke sweetly to the cashier.
The next two customers finished quickly as well.
It was my turn.
Hello, I said with a smile.
Just breathe, I added.
She was an older woman with kind eyes.
She smiled and took a deep breath.
Oh, I needed that, she admitted.
You were very sweet to that woman, I said.
Thanks, she said looking a bit flustered.
I saw someone out of the corner of my eye coming briskly towards the cash register.
It was the woman walking with a purpose, pushing her shopping cart filled with loaves of bread.
The receipt was in her hand.
She walked right up to the cashier and interrupted.
You didn’t give me my discount for the pistachios, she said angrily.
She pushed the receipt into the cashier’s face.
The cashier stepped back and took the receipt from the woman’s hand.
I made a mistake, the cashier said honestly.
Oh that’s great, that’s just great! The woman said sarcastically.
You can take the receipt to customer service and they will give you your discount.
The cashier looked visibly shaken at the woman’s anger.
Wonderful. Then I will be in another line for another hour, she said, grabbing her receipt.
The cashier looked at me.
As if on cue, we both took a very deep breath.
Breathe, we both said in unison.
Just breathe, I said as I left the store.
A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.
(Proverbs 14:29)
Sometimes our anger and frustration blinds us to the kindness of others.
Sometimes we fail to see their help when it is right in front of our face.
Sometimes we are quick to fly off the handle when a calm spirit would be so much better.
Sometimes, we only see how the situation is affecting us at that moment.
Breathe.
Just breathe.
A calm spirit can diffuse the situation.
That deep breath provides a necessary pause.
How desperately we need that necessary pause in our life.
Take a deep breath.
Breathe.
Just breathe.
A lesson we all need in this hurry-up world. Love the song, too!
You are so right, Sue!
We have forgotten how to be still.
I love the song, too!
Gina