Lost
It has been a year of changes and adjustment for our little family. We moved from the desert southwest to the beautiful Rocky Mountains and with new jobs and lives, we are adjusting to our first Christmas away from loved ones. Those traditions and rituals we once enjoyed will need to be recreated. To assist with this we thought a bit of retail therapy was in order. Armed with a brand new department store credit card we opted to pick up some new electronics at a store near where I work, unfortunately 45 miles away from where we live. This is where the adventure begins.

My wife wanted to pick me up from work but the not so reliable MapQuest gave bad directions and she got terribly lost. I guided her to where I was and off we went to the department store. Unfortunately, I generally do not drive myself to work and I am very directionally challenged, so through my seemingly confident commands, I too managed to get us lost. We drove several miles out of our way but we did eventually arrive at the department store and we waited at merchandise pick up for our new electronics. When the kind and very helpful employee brought the box out from the back, we laughed. There was no way this thing was going to fit in our car. Considering all we went through to get to the store, we gave it a try anyway. The box actually almost fit. There was only an inch or so hanging out of the trunk. The store employee helped tie down the trunk and with trepidation, we left the store and we prayed we would make it home without the box flying out on the highway.

We started off okay until we reached the outskirts of downtown Denver. Traffic slowed due to a traffic accident and thankfully it was close to where we were so we were not deterred for long. As we drove past the wreckage of mangled vehicles I prayed there had been no injuries or deaths. We were able to travel at the normal highway speed until we noticed a yellow jeep stopped in our lane. We came to an abrupt halt and waited until it was safe to maneuver around him. As we were waiting, we noticed there was a tire missing from the back of the jeep. Both my wife and I wondered what happened to the tire. The jeep was not jacked up so it did not appear as if he was changing a flat. As we successfully changed lanes and drove past the jeep, we considered ourselves very fortunate we did not switch back to our original right lane. Not even a mile ahead of us was – you guessed it – a tire with an axle attached in the middle of the road. What an absolute miracle that jeep did not flip over and that the driver was okay.

Needless to say, once we arrived safely home, we counted all of our blessings.

Shopping at K-Mart

The next day we opted to continue our retail therapy at the ever modest K-Mart. I have not been inside one of these stores in years. In fact, I think the last time I was inside a K-Mart was when I worked for one at age 19. Once my wife and I stepped inside, so many memories came flooding back. As a kid, we shopped at K-Mart for everything. I can still envision those velvety shirts that made up my signature look in junior high and part of high school. Like the K-Mart of my childhood memories, this K-Mart also had the unmistakable aroma of popcorn. As I walked the aisles, I observed a few things. The layout of the store was very basic and simple. I tend to enjoy things that are understated which is why I refuse to step foot inside a certain other “Mart”. The general atmosphere of the store was pleasant. Despite the fact that this was the last Saturday before Christmas, the store was not overly crowded. The people I came in contact with were genuinely nice and polite. If I said good morning, I received a response. For whatever reason, the other ‘Mart’ tends to attract some of the most unpleasant people on this planet. I still cannot figure out why but on this day, I was so grateful to be in a store where I could just relax and get my shopping done in the midst of good, kind, and polite people.

My wife and I broke away with separate agendas and as I walked around, I watched people. I saw a mom debating one toy or another. Neither was very expensive but it was obvious she could only afford one. With a sigh, she put one back and went on with her shopping. An elderly lady was counting her change as she stood in the shoe aisle. Whether or not she could get the shoes she wanted depended on how much she ended up with. A couple of women were meticulously examining modest gifts in their basket. One would ask the other if the intended recipient would enjoy what was picked out. One said "I know it is not much but I do think he will like it." So it went as we walked around.

Yes, my wife and I had a budget but nothing as stringent as what I just described. After speaking to my wife this evening, she mentioned she saw one old man shopping who had very worn out shoes. He was buying for others when really, he needed to buy some shoes. She wanted desperately to approach him and offer to buy him some new shoes but did not want to insult the man or take away from his dignity. How would you go about approaching a total stranger and offering some brand new shoes without making him feel awkward or wounding his pride? After hearing this, I felt very guilty. We bought some rather nice things while at K-Mart and all I want to do now is take it all back and go out and buy as many pairs of shoes as I can and take them to a place where those in need can come and get them on their own terms.

This Christmas, we will unwrap some material things but our hearts will be with those who are clinging to the very basic necessities of life. This has been a tough time for so many and I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you out there a very wonderful holiday season – no matter what that holiday is. For those who celebrate Christmas, I will leave you with a final thought from a friend of mine:

I'm sure your Christmas will be special just as it happens. Who of us can really say we *need* anything more than we already have? In this country, true "need" is rare indeed. The gift of time well spent is far more precious than any doodad or bauble.