It may sound like a contradiction in terms to you; it makes
perfect sense to me. I love shopping….I
hate shopping!
Perhaps I should explain.
I like leisurely shopping; looking for nothing in particular and
enjoying the hunt. If the perfect pair
of shoes or household item turns up….so be it.
That’s the kind of shopping I look forward to. Now, let’s get to the shopping I do not
enjoy. The
shopping-with-your-husband-for-the-holidays type of shopping.
Each year at this time my husband says, “Let’s make a list”. Those words alone can leech all the fun out
of a shopping trip. When you realize
that men think the list is to be followed to the letter, it’s even worse.
My idea of a “list” is the name of each person for whom we
need to buy a gift. Larry’s idea of a
list is the name, the gift, the location of said gift, the amount of time to be
spent in that particular store and the location of the best restaurant for
lunch in the middle of the shopping safari.
Much too detailed for a person like me.
I know it’s just an extension of our personalities. He is more pragmatic, more detail
oriented. I am more abstract, I let the
details fall where they may. I am the wings;
he is the anchor, which probably explains why the marriage has lasted.
I am a “shopper”. If we can’t find what we want here in town
(and I haven’t a clue what that might be) let’s go to the outlet malls, or
spend the weekend in Cincinnati, or a day in Cleveland!
He is a “buyer”. Let’s decide we want a blue sweatshirt, come
up with two places that carry blue sweat shirts, go there and buy a blue sweat
shirt…..period.
Quite often over the years he’s chosen to settle the problem
with the phrase he uses to escape from what he considers to be a shopping
nightmare…..”Call Jone”. Often my partner in shopping crime, Jone and
I can spend the day looking for nothing and come home with something….a match
made in girlfriend heaven.
And so it is that we enter this painful time of year...the
shopping season. Just as surely as day
follows night this season is accompanied by a full day “wrap-o-rama” where we
pull out all the holiday bags, wrappings, ribbon and bows that this “shopper”
found after the holidays last year. I
wrap, he supplies an index finger for bow making and paper holding….and we get
the job done.
All kidding aside I’m really looking forward to the holidays
this year…shopping and all…and for us they begin this weekend and roll right on
through New Year’s Day. I will celebrate
Thanks Giving with an especially grateful heart this year. Christmas gives me the privilege of having my
house full of family, grandchildren and friends; the New Year holds the promise
of doing it all over again. 
In looking back over the year I’ve not lost every material
thing to a hurricane, or said goodbye to a family member or a close
friend. My own health issues have turned
out better than expected and I am lucky to be watching Heart of Ohio Magazine grow
and develop. When you have all these
important things to celebrate, what’s a little shopping between friends?
We’re all facing the “my heart is full even if my check book
is empty” time of year. Let’s make the
best of it and start enjoying some Christmas cheer right out of the chute. I’m going to get ready for the shopping
festivities by calling Jone……
Life is Good
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