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Challenge: Gratitude & Giving

This holiday season I am grateful for my local Publix and here's why...

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To the grocery shoppers at the South Dale Mabry Publix around 3:30 pm on 12/19,

I am grateful for your grace.

Why I thought that shopping would be a pleasure at this neighborhood favorite six days before Christmas in the late afternoon on a Wednesday is beyond me.

Why I thought that shopping could be a pleasure with three semi-unruly, but mainly polite, absolutely energetic children, tired-from-their-school-day children just means my mom brain wasn't operating on all four cylinders at the time.

But, guess what?

SHOPPING WAS A PLEASURE.

Because it's Publix, Publix flippin' rocks, and so does 90% of the clientele that frequents it.

Publix is like my third home -- we've got my real home, my mom's house and then, well, Publix.

From that fact, you can decipher that I have a shopping problem and I like food and guess what, so do my youngsters.

A Publix trip is nothing new or unusual for the kids. Whether they like it or not, every Sunday around 7:30 am we do our shopping for the week. We go early to beat the crowd (and the judgment) and pray that the popcorn chicken is ready and the bakery cookies are stocked. We then return multiple times a week for the items Mommy forget or desired-and-unnecessary-but-I-tell-the-husband-they-are-necessary items.

I mentioned that shopping was an unexpected pleasure yesterday, right?

Well, here's why...

Despite the fact that my brood had trouble walking the aisles single-file and not getting in the way of every person we encountered and even though my two-year-old screeched her rendition of "Frosty the Snowman" for all to tolerate whether they liked it or not, the majority of glances I received were surprisingly nonjudgmental.

The staff and the general public all seemed to welcome and dare I even say appreciate my crazy.

In truth, I was feeling super anxious about ruining holiday meal shopping for all of those around us with our antics, but the overall consensus seemed to be that my family's circus act was more than welcome to put on a spontaneous performance.

Maybe I'm just an overthinking, worrier nut who gets exasperated with and apologizes for her three children more than she ever should, and, maybe people are just more jovial and tolerant in the days leading up to Christmas.

BUT, I really think the reason #shoppingisapleasure at Publix is the same reason their commercials are such a hit -- they focus on those memorable moments between human beings, those within a nuclear family and those outside of it.

When you are a good brand, run by good people, that hires good people, that cares about the people you serve, then good people will frequent your business.

So, I have Publix to thank for being a go-to stop for compassionate, nonjudgmental humans and to those kind-hearted humans, I offer my gratitude for going easy on this tired mama and her Christmas-centric over-jazzed little monkeys.

Thank you, Publix and your shoppers who were present around 3:30 pm on 12/19.

I repeat I am grateful for your grace.

From
A far too frequent shopper and her kids, who are all occasionally worthy of a head shake, but are genuinely humbled by any understanding glances and half-smiles.

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