“I would, but…”

The grocery store wasn’t crowded so I quickly and easily found everything I needed and headed for the check-out. “Well that was fast!” I thought as I cheerfully stacked my food onto the conveyor, “YAY me!”

But as I pushed my cart out of the door I suddenly realized that my bill was only $4 short of the amount needed to get $20 off….whaat????

I had no intention of spending even close to $150..but there it was..Ugh…what to do? I REALLY didn’t want to go back in there but I also didn’t want to walk away from $20.

Soo..I pulled up my mask again, headed back into the store, grabbed a $5 fresh basil plant to put me over $150 and walked back to my cashier. I explained the situation, she called the manager over, and the two of them began going through their options. (I told them I did NOT want to re-scan all of my groceries.) Of course (!!) there was no way to make it work using any of their systems..not the app, not their computer or the register. It’s like most tech driven stuff these days..it all works – if everything works.. but throw in a human variable and you can just forget about it.

Finally, frustrated, the manager just took the situation into her own hands and said “let’s make this happen.” She did so by basically “giving” me a twenty dollar gift card, using it to pay for the basil plant, and handing me the change.

How’s that for cutting through the excuses and just gettin’ it done?

Made me think of this year.. it’s been a year of handy excuses hasn’t it?

Earlier in the week my husband and I participated in our county’s annual Christmas food and toy distribution. Trust me when I tell you, I was very nervous about being around a bunch of people during a freaking pandemic!! (I told my husband straight up that I’d leave if I felt things weren’t safe.)

Funny thing was, I had been hammered by e-mails from United Way for weeks asking for help at this event..

“I would, but.. 🦠” was my thought every time I ignored another one of their appeals. And then strangely one morning I got an e-mail THANKING me for signing up. “Whaat?” I gasped..and then blamed my husband (of course) who swore he didn’t sign up for anything. I responded to the sender clarifying that we had NOT in fact volunteered, but (reluctantly) asked if she still needed help. The one word answer came back immediately..

– YES!

Long story short, it was a super successful (safe) event full of laughs, good feels and the realization that so many others in our wonderful community had already responded with a YES..

YES, I’ll donate

YES, I’ll organize

YES, I’ll pack

YES, I’ll deliver, direct, buy, stack, inventory and manage.

YES, I’ll assemble bikes, trucks, baby carriages and rocking horses,

and YES ,

Let’s make this happen.

• 

• 

There are only 5 days left in this week of Christmas..

Is there something you need to make happen?