I walked into the overcrowded grocery store and everyone was smiling. I was shocked since this was the time when everyone was usually panicked by the coming snow storm. Generally, before a storm, people rush into the grocery store to buy milk and bread (never water and batteries--go figure). Usually, this is a very competitive time when the nesting instinct mixes with the survival instinct and makes a milk run more like Black Friday at Macy's. But on this night, everyone was all smiles. One guy told my wife his whole life story while they were waiting in line. My son saw a half dozen of his friends from school. I had a nice walk in the snow with our dog Sandy. It was a nice night.
How come the same type of storm that usually made people competitive and angry, on this night, made everyone smile and laugh and joke? Maybe there was a lesson there about living in with chronic illness in this Savage Garden.
I think people were smiling because it was a Friday, so the prospect of a storm didn't automatically mean the loss of a day's pay AND a day cooped up inside with the kids. It was the end of the week, so more than a few people had money in their pockets and were already planning to go grocery shopping anyway. It was also at the end of the work week, so lots of people may have just been glad to get it done with!
I guess I could handle a nasty paralysis attack better too if it happened on a day when it wouldn't cost me money or leave me stuck inside. Money doesn't buy happiness, but not having financial worries makes even migraine pain a little more bearable. And of course, it's nice to have that nasty attack AFTER all the Gotta-Does are done. Too bad I can't schedule all my medical emergencies a week or more in advance. "Oh, honey. We can't go out next Thursday because I'm going to be paralyzed from the cold." Yeah. Dat's what I'm talkin' 'bout! Who can I call to see about scheduling ALL my emergencies in advance?
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