Last Friday, I ventured out later in the afternoon with my son and daughter because we’ve been looking for a coat for my daughter for some time and thought we’d see what was on sale. That was a big mistake.
I pulled into the parking lot of the store we were going into, and spied a car just pulling out of a parking space near the doors. I hurried over and just as I was about to pull into the parking space the truck just down the row laid on its horn and the driver began gesturing and yelling through the windshield. It was obvious he was angry because he wanted that parking spot.
As he continued to make gestures and scream at me and honk his horn, I put up my hands, backed away and found another parking spot. FOUR SPACES DOWN.
Yep, he was putting on a big display of anger over a parking spot that was four spaces closer to the door. I think the saddest thing, though, was that he did all of that in front of children, not only mine, but his own and all the families in the parking lot.
I know this is going to sound kind of rant-y, but how ridiculous is it that we “kick off” the Christmas season by Black Friday events that are starting earlier and earlier, encroaching on the family time of Thanksgiving, and now include anger, pushing, shoving, people being Mace’d, trampled, and in general just treated badly all around the country. All for some “great deals.” (And I feel the most sorry for the people who have to work these sales and deal with these sorts of customers.)
It stuns me that people forget basic civility over “getting a deal.” The Christmas season isn’t supposed to be about getting stuff. It seems that some have lost the vision of what love and giving truly is all about.
I’m going to step off my soapbox today, and enjoy the Christmas decorations that are now up in my home and maybe sip a cup of hot chocolate and remember the good things in my life. And resolve right now to never go shopping on Black Friday again and to truly try to meet anger with kindness. Maybe I’ll make that my Christmas resolution.
Are any of you Black Friday shoppers?
Monday, 28 November 2011
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