By TANYA DORAN
Executive Director, Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce
I was recently shopping at Costco, and when I entered the store, I noticed a young woman placing a decorative item in her cart. She appeared to be struggling with the decision to purchase the item.
She picked up the box, held it for a moment, stared at the photo on the box, and then returned the item to the shelf. She began to walk away. When she was a few feet away, she turned around and picked up the item again and placed it in her shopping cart.
This made me laugh inside and think about how life is full of decisions. This woman was a stranger to me, yet I could relate to the struggle of making a simple decision. Even a small decision can be a challenge, especially when it relates to an item of which we may have an emotional attachment.
I finished my shopping and headed to the checkout line and noticed this same lady in the line next to me. I peeked into her cart, looking for the item and noticed it wasn’t there. She caught me snooping. Smiling, I confessed I had seen her struggling about whether or not to buy the decorative item and was surprised it was no longer in her shopping cart.
She explained she really wanted it and thought it would look great on her patio table as the centerpiece. It matched her décor perfectly and something about it reminded her of her mother who lived up North.
I asked her, “What’s preventing you from buying it then?”
Disappointment was in her eyes.
“I already have a very nice centerpiece I’ve had only a few months,” she said, adding she was unsure what she would do with it if she bought a new one.
I suggested she purchase the new one, if her budget allowed, and enjoy it. She could bless someone else with her current decoration.
Her face lit up with delight as she said, “You are right!”
She stepped out of line for a moment and jogged over to retrieve the item. She seemed to be very pleased with herself.
As we were exiting Costco together, she told me her new neighbor had complimented her decorating style and specifically mentioned how much she liked her current centerpiece. So now she planned to bless the new neighbor with it. She was so authentically excited, I was inspired to share her story.
When I returned home, I shared what happened with my husband and he suggested we clean out our guest bedroom, which had turned into a storage room. This room was full of items we hadn’t used in months.
We took the time to clean out this room and donated the items to a local charity sale. We now have a usable bedroom where a guest can sleep.
I encourage you to do the same. It really feels good to pass along unused items to someone who can use them now.