Temporary

As I waited in line for 30 minutes today to pay for my finds priced low enough that even old man stingy would approve of in the Old Navy, I was surrounded by madness! I knew as soon as I walked in and had to jump over 2 toddlers fighting over a dog toy with no mother in sight (welcome to Utah) that I should have re-zipped my coat and walked on to TJ Maxx, but no, I smelled SALE!!!! And boy, oh boy it was 50% off an already reduced 75% off, we're talking long sleeve shirts for $1.99!! I am about as turned on as ever and seeing that there are NO carts or bags in sight, I buck up and dive in. As I went from sale table to sale table, I looked around. There were kids running everywhere, carts piled so high that no one could see around or above it, women shouting to other women-what size will he be next year? Do you like the blue one or the orange one? No one had eye contact, everytime I went to a different rack I heard a physical sigh and the noise of hangers moving so fast I'm surpised a spark didn't land in my eye, they wanted their size and they wanted it now! As my arms spilled over with my pushy success in tow, I finally found the end of the line and waited, and watched, and waited, and waited some more. I realized wow-I must be crazy to be here and wow-I'm part of something, everyone else is doing the same thing! Where did she get that grey sweater? How did I miss that? Will the guy behind me let me leave my spot in line and come back? He doesn't look too friendly-I better not. Finally, I resorted to the fact that yes, I got some good deals and yes, I missed some things I needed, but that it didn't really matter. I'm now convinced that the whole mad process, as frustrating and rewarding as it was at the time, was temporary. The sale was temporary, the clothes are temporary, the cashier that checked me out-temporary (literally:)). My choice of investing in the temporary (even for good deals) needs to seriously be reconsidered. So, as I dig the craft glue out from my fingernails, I smile because the 2 hours I spent investing in my 6 year old this afternoon was not temporary and I am grateful for the maniacal madness morphing itself into the quality time she required. May your temporary be truly what it is-temporary!