The red light flashes signaling a need for help. It’s my distress call as I quietly cry out for assistance. I’m standing in the center of the self checkout, watching as the line continues to grow. I am in need of customer service, and not one store employee is within sight. All other distraught shoppers are watching me as if I am a target wearing a bullseye. This is definitely a sign of the times and if I could exchange one gift in the up-and-coming holiday gift exchange it would be hope in exchange for hopelessness.
The count down is on, it is less than two weeks until Christmas. Last night I found myself at a Target store losing hope in all humanity. Making the most of my time, I skipped my recovery meeting to Christmas shop. The shelves were packed full of ideas with an overabundance of gifts to choose from, but only one lone sales associate working the registers.
The problem with the gifts.
Typically, I do my best to avoid ranting and bitching when I write a blog post, but for this post I need to vent. Christmases past I always enjoyed gift giving, still do. What I don’t enjoy is the gift selection. I find it quite stressful. And as a woman in recovery I am in dire need of hope in exchange for hopelessness. I am learning to accept my triggers and apply coping skills. Last evening, I exchanged a recovery meeting for shopping. This is my first problem.
Sticker Shock
From that one choice my night went from bad to worse. To be upfront, Christmas shopping was not my main intention for the Target run. I am in need of a blender, one preferably with a glass container. The shelves are well stocked with a variety of choices. Each with plastic pouring vessels with exuberant price tags. Even the cheapest of blenders are well overpriced.
In todays world, I don’t see how families will be having a very Merry Christmas with the price of gifts. I left the store without a blender because I refuse to pay $150 for a lesser quality blender that a couple years ago was affordable.
Last week, I visited one of the fancier upscale malls. Again not so much for Christmas shopping but an outing to enjoy the festive decorations. The stores were all well-stocked, and even the sale prices were a bit salty. For an example a sleeveless women’s top $1500.00. Really, who in their right mind would purchase that?!
Customer Service
When finally we reached the cash register at Target, there was a short line. Until my register did not ring up the accurate sale price of one item and I was in need of assistance. The store had one sales associate working and she had a lengthy line herself. My husband went to the service desk and waited in that line, while I stood patiently waiting for my call for help to be answered. The customers in line multiplied with all eyes on me.
When shopping at the upscale mall I noted the stores were well-stocked with employees, but not shoppers. As I strolled down the fifth avenue at The Mall of Millenia, during this holiday season, it was empty, and they still had there stanchions to control the crowds. The high end stores which very few people shop in have the customer service unlike our big box stores, like Target. It appears the priorities in America are a bit screwed up.
When there are no employees working the stores they can not offer any service. Which in turn makes online shopping with Amazon or Temu more appealing. Are stores cutting back on hiring humans or do the humans not need to work? There are obviously a large number of humans working elsewhere, just not in America.
Made In China
The labor force in China is almost 5 times greater than the US. No wonder everything is made in China, because they supply the labor. When making my decision to buy a product I have been looking at where each product is made. If given an option I avoid products made in China, but it is getting more challenging to be a proud US consumer. I don’t mean to condemn the Chinese people because the blame shouldn’t be on China, but America.
The solution to the problem.
We live in a time when the numbers don’t add up and nothing makes sense. Prior to recovery, I was struggling, trying to make sense of this broken, fallen world we live in. I did not have the proper coping skills to deal with my daily struggles. Instead of wasting my time trying to make sense of something I could not control I needed a solution. It is through recovery where I thrive.
When I walk through the doors into a recovery meeting, hope comes alive. I witness people who have restored their hope. Just as I have learned to place Christ center in my life, recovery also needs prioritized. Recovery is where I find hope in exchange of hopelessness.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 NIV
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