ABUNDANCE

Today I went to Home Depot, Hobby Lobby and Costco. These warehouse stores continue to amaze me with both their size and contents, no matter how many times I visit. As I wandered about each one, looking for the items on my list, I wondered, as I always do, about how such places are stocked, who buys the wide variety of products, and whether there is really a need for so much stuff.

 At Home Depot, I wanted a few annuals for my garden; and I could see the huge inventory they had on hand a month or two ago had shrunk considerably. Where did all those baskets and wide variety of plants go? They  had undoubtedly been purchased by avid gardeners for their yards, gardens or decks; and yet, as I drive about various neighborhoods, there are a multitude of homes that do not exhibit new plantings and would even benefit from the use of a lawn mower. Imagine what kind of stock Home Depot would have to carry if every single home had new plantings every spring. And, that doesn’t take into account all the other stores and nurseries where one can purchase plants.

 Hobby Lobby makes my heart rate and respirations rise. I wonder if that happens to other people who shop there. I mean, really…fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas stock already out on the shelves. Who shops for those holidays in June? There must be people who do shop now, but I cannot imagine doing so. I marched myself by those shelves quite quickly.

 I’m not a frequent Hobby Lobby visitor and know I have to keep a tight hold on my imagination and desire or walk out with a seriously impacted debit or credit card. As it was, I bought more than the five small items (three of which I now know won’t work...oh no, a return visit) I wanted. How could I possibly pass up a gazing ball and stand for my garden when each one was 60% off…getting them for $10 each was a real steal, and I’ve always wanted one. Then there was the blown glass owl, marked down to $4.99…surely my glass bird collection will benefit from its addition. 

 These objects jumped into my arms as I walked about looking for the items I really wanted. I eventually found them, but by then my arms were so full I could barely manage to add them to the stuff I hadn’t gone in to purchase in the first place.  Thankfully, I hadn’t picked up a cart to wheel around and had to stop shopping because I could carry nothing else.

On to the Business Costco for milk, large bags of salad mix, bananas, and a watermelon. (I’ve never ever bought a bad watermelon at Costco…how do they do that? Now, I’ve probably jinxed the one in the fridge.) Of course I remembered I needed chicken breasts and a few other items that weren’t on the original list. Still, I managed to get out of there for less than $75. Shopping at the Business Costco allows me to spend way less because it doesn’t have a bakery, flowers, special items, clothes, drug store, books, magazines, etc.). Of course, much of what you can buy there comes in the largest economy size possible. It even carries frozen lamb carcasses, and I’ve always wondered if these ever sell. They must or Costco wouldn’t carry them; and yet, I’ve never seen anyone add an entire lamb to their basket.

 All in all, I didn’t actually buy all that much stuff today or spend a lot of money. It’s probably thousands and thousands of people like me who shop as I did today that keep the stock in these warehouse stores moving. Still, I know that no matter how many times I visit these places, I’ll continue to be amazed at the abundance each one provides as well as wonder how or why we need the opportunity to choose from so much stuff.