Before I really get started, a couple of Happy Birthdays are in order:

First, to my SuperBaby who is TWO years old today! My, oh my, how time flies. It seems like just yesterday i was writing this blog from my hospital bed the day after he was born.

Which leads me to… Happy Birthday to US! Julie and I have been writing Shop Talk for two years now. I did actually write my first entry from the hospital after delivering Ryan an entire month early.

Oh, the days.

Now. On to the deals.

Oops. I’m not going to talk about deals today. Not exactly.

I’m going to talk about etiquette. (That’s right, sign me up with Miss Manners.)

I can hardly believe I’m saying this, but as fall comes rushing at us, so do preparations for the Holidays.

Eegads.

What does this mean? Quite often it means everyone is in a hurry. People have their own schedules, their own agendas and they don’t pay nearly enough thought to the people around them. Quite contrary to “The Reason for the Season” … in any religion.

People fight over deals, they rush for the latest and greatest and often as they get so caught up in the things, they forget about the people.

I’ve spoken before about “coupon etiquette”. How important it is to be considerate of those shopping around you when you roll up in the checkout lane with a ton of coupons and the people behind you have 4 items. Or how being kind to the cashier who is checking you out, just doing their job, is a must-do. Especially when you are adding a little more stress or complexity to their work routine.

But what I’m talking about now is the regard you hold for the people around you when you shop. (Really, this is a life action and should apply across the many facets of your life, but I’m talking SHOP here…) Be kind to those around you. Remember that you have no idea what life events are impacting the people you interact with. Do you really want to carry around so much anger that you shed it onto everyone you meet? You might be surprised to find that a little kindness where you would otherwise rant or rave (or attack?) relieves YOU even more than the person you bestow it upon.

What brought this onslaught of ethical lecture today? In some last minute Target shopping for my son’s birthday yesterday I was literally run over.

Searching up and down the aisle for the ever elusive “matching lid”to the plastic storage tub I was purchasing to store away season children’s books, I left my cart a little too far center for the liking of some. Instead of “Excuse Me”, or even “Hey Lady” …. the couple heading down the aisle towards me drove straight into my cart at full speed. There was a crash…. a smash… and when they read what could have only been a look of shock on my face the woman made a very rude comment including “I guess if you learned where to leave the cart that wouldn’t happen”….and they continued on their merry way.

All instincts pointed to verbal lashings… retaliation for the rude and nasty behavior equivalent to what I might expect from my five year old when he is in desperate need of a nap and some protein. But with a step back, and a deep breath, I continued the search for the un-findable lid; deciding that there must have been something very sad happening in their lives to cause behavior wrought with that much anger and disrespect.

We are shopping, people. We are spending money and sharing space with the other humans who inhabit the places we call home. A deal is about saving money. Buying gifts for people is about showing affection, about doing something for another that makes us feel good. How is that accomplished when we lack common decency towards those around us?

So, for my part I say to the Couple at Target: I forgive you for your violent over reaction to my less than attentive shopping cart parking job. I hope that as you continue to shop over the next few months you will find peace in your heart and joy for the blessings in your life…..

And for Pete’s Sake, I hope you quit driving over people’s shopping carts. IT’S A SHOPPING CART.