Kindness
Right about this time every year, I start to think about kindness.
The news and media is filled with crazy Black Friday shoppers and their stories
of greed. The stories are endless of who ran over who, to get the most
popular toy this year. Every year it seems that the stores are opening up
earlier and earlier. In return, people are leaving their families and
Thanksgiving dinners early to make sure they are standing in the line of their
favorite stores. I shake my head in confusion. What is out there to buy that
important that you are willing to sacrifice time with the people you love? Time
is the only thing you can't get back. You can't go back to last Thanksgiving
and instead of leaving early to shop, spend it with your grandpa, who died this
year. For many people, it's one of the only days of the year that everyone even
gets together. Yet, as a society we find it more important to save a buck on an
item we probably don't need anyway.
Not only do we leave our gatherings early to stand in line, but
then we get there amongst shoppers just like we and we are not kind. We run
over each other, take things from people's carts, yell, push, shove and raise
hell because we want an item for our kid.
Here are a few examples:
1. Two people were shot on Black Friday in the
parking lot of a Florida Walmart after an argument over
a parking space in
2012.
3. On Black
Friday in 2008, a temporary Walmart employee was trampled to death after a
large crowd poured through the store's doors. And Walmart, a company with sales
of $466 billion last year, is still fighting the
$7,000 fine that resulted from the 2008 trampling.
4. A
61-year-old man collapsed in 2011, fellow Target shoppers stepped over his body and continued searching for deals. The man later died at the
hospital.
Here is an idea. Instead of those angry behaviors, let’s replace
it with kindness for each other. As consumers, if we went to the stores
on Thanksgiving night with love and kindness, I can guarantee it would be a
much better experience for everyone. Traffic will run smoother and we won't
become frustrated if we drive knowing we are going to be moving slow and that
we are going to have to walk a mile to a parking spot. Standing in lines might
be more enjoyable if we start up a conversation about how grateful we are for
being able to buy everything in our cart. Smile and be kind to the holiday
workers who are just trying to make a living. More than likely, they rather be
at home with their families, instead of working, so being kind to those people
working very hard on Thanksgiving night.
Kindness is the key to this holiday season. When we decide to go
out shopping, expect all the people, traffic, and delays, no matter when you
venture out. Don't be shocked when it takes you an hour longer to run your
errands. Embrace the holiday shopping with kindness and love. Stop being rude.
If you can't go out shopping in love, then don't go. Stay home and enjoy your
family and friends. Wait till you are going for the right reasons. We are going
shopping to buy gifts for people, gifts for the important people in your lives.
Shouldn't they be bought with love, not through frustration and anger?
This holiday season:
Think about if shopping is more important than spending the time
with family.
Be happy, no matter what you decide.
Show respect for the people around you in the stores.
Go shopping with love.
Enjoy the moments.
Smile.
Happy Thanksgiving. I will be spending my holiday with many people
I love. I will eat, laugh, play games and just enjoy the company. What will you
be doing?
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