There are ups and there are downs, in everyone's lives, everyday. Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the worry and strife you are suffering, and forget everyone out there is fighting a battle. We all know this, and are aware... most of the time.
Last Friday, I finally forced myself to go to the grocery store. I've never liked grocery shopping, with the exception of the Trader Joe's nearly 1/4 mile from my house back home, that was fun. As for the supermarkets, I've never grasped they way they're laid out, and how they rationalize the way things are grouped together.
To enhance my severe dislike for grocery stores; I now live in a place where I have to catch a taxi to get to and from the grocery store. Sounds like no big deal, but let me tell you... A couple of weeks ago, I made the mistake of trying to get a taxi while a cruise ship was in port. The typical cost to get to town is $2.50; on non cruise ship days. The cruise ship rate is significantly higher than the local rate; so they won't even talk to you unless you quadruple the 'regular rate'. I finally found a fella (taxi) to take me, he agreed to get me to the store, for the normal rate; until his cruise ship guests called that is. He drove me about 75 yards before he stopped the car and turned to me and told me his 'guests' were ready to be picked up, and KICKED ME OUT OF THE TAXI! I managed to contain a fury like no other, as I expressed a few choice words and slammed the door behind me. Bah!!!
This past Friday, I made it to the store ok. Did my shopping, and was quite pleased that the store seemed nicely stocked, and had just about everything I had on my list. Ahhh, not so bad after all. Until I went to pay; and they had enforced a new rule that I could no longer write my ID info on the receipt, I must have my ID to show. I don't typically carry my ID, well, ever. Long story, not that long, there was no negotiating with this woman; which is quite typical in Honduras. More often than not, there is no box to think outside of. If it's black it's black, if it's white it's white. I walked out of the store, again in a fury, with tears in my eyes, welling with frustration, and walked up the hill to the nearest grocery store. This time, after I deleted my shopping list off the cell phone, I picked up the bare minimum, paid and left.
On the way out of the parking lot, I received a text message that the girls get together that evening had to be cancelled, due to a serious accident. A fellow diver at the dive shop had just arrived for his 5 month annual visit, and was on his way to the hospital. Just then, the ambulance rushed by. A couple of minutes later, we encountered a road block, where people were standing around, talking to police, an empty scooter sat in the middle of the road, and a taxi with a shattered back window sat. Max had been thrown from the scooter, into the back of the car, and was on his way to the hospital with, what turned out to be, 15 broken ribs, punctured lung, broken ankle, dislocated collar bone and broken shoulder. God bless that man. We dove together the day prior, and now here he is, broken and bruised, eventually being transported to Florida for surgery and more care. (Thank you DAN insurance) Just like that, in the blink of an eye, Max's life changed forever.
My grocery store tale was no longer significant.
Last night, a close friend of mine's son had his new birthday bike stolen from their front porch. In the same small town she and I grew up in, where most people barely lock their front doors. As if it's not aggravating enough to have your personal property violated, now she's looking for a way to explain to him it's not directed at him, he didn't ask for it, or deserve it. Sometimes 'it's just the way the cookies crumbles'.
Fortunately, a kind friend rallied up donations from anyone stop to listen, and through friends and strangers kind donations, she bought him a brand new bike less than 24 hours later.
An old friend of mine used to tell me constantly 'it is what it is Sarah'. I despised those words. I hated not having all the answers. I coudln't settle for just settling. No! I would often exclaim to him, stop saying that!
I've learned, sometimes, it is, just what it is. The experiences you have in life, good and bad, can't always be identified and explained. They don't always happen with a clear reason and understanding as to why.
Sometimes, it just is what it is, and that's the way the cookie crumbles.
