It’s the time of year when customers come storming into Meijer for their turkeys, along with all their other Thanksgiving necessities. Working in retail for the last five years has given me an interesting perspective on the behavior of people, which is even more evident during the holiday season.
I believe that, deep down, people are good and decent. I believe people are understanding and that if you put forth an effort, it will be recognized and appreciated. These beliefs are tested during holiday shopping. When people push each other aside to get their turkey, my mind wonders, “Why?” When people get upset at me because their perfect turkey isn’t available, my mind becomes jumbled. I know focusing on the negative won’t help, so I move on to help the next person, hopeful of some positivity.
The act of handing someone a turkey is simple. The process of getting the turkey from our coffin (or endcap) to the customer’s hand, into their cart, and eventually into their mouth, is priceless; I feel like a matchmaker. Knowing I have a very small hand in helping countless families celebrate Thanksgiving brings me pure joy and is something I have taken for granted because I get to do so every year. By taking a few minutes to help a family pick out their perfect turkey, I feel as though I’m joining them at their dinner table. I’m thankful for this feeling, as well as many others. Here’s some more of what I’m thankful for, in no particular order:
1. Being alive
2. Those who have helped, and continue to, keep me alive
3. Michigan weather
4. Good food
5. Sunsets and sunrises
6. Pens and pencils
7. Books/movies/art/stage/music/poetry
8. Two ears and one mouth
9. Friends. Or, as I like to call them, family I choose
10. Love
11. An open mind
12. Warm clothes
13. A roof over my head
14. Having a job
15. Equality*
16. Computers…technology as a whole
17. Abilities
18. A warm and comfortable bed
19. Family
20. A roof over my head
21. Medicine
22. Sports
23. The beach
24. Every person who I have come across
25. Those people who I have yet to cross paths with, but will, eventually
26. Hugs and kisses
27. Holding hands
28. Small/random acts of kindness
29. Laughter
30. A full array of emotions
31. Smiles
32. Full use of all my limbs
33. Animals, of all kinds
34. My voice
Being thankful doesn’t occur simply because the calendar says so. Being and acting thankful is an acquired trait, taking time and patience. Having respect and understanding of familial traditions is important and a sign of being thankful. Sometimes tradition means having no tradition, but doing whatever comes along. One tradition which should never change is the feeling of being truly grateful and not just saying you are. The feeling of someone saying “Thank You” and knowing they mean it, with chills rushing up and down your spine, lighting a smile upon your face, is a feeling everyone should experience multiple times. Being grateful and being thankful can occur anywhere, with anyone, or completely alone.
Whether or not you celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope you’re able to spend the holidays with those you care about and cherish the most. I hope you’re easily able to find many reasons to be thankful each and every day. I know I am.
-Brandon-
Comments