For Better or Worse
Early evening come and I was a passenger in my sister’s car, driving to the store to shop for clothes. After shopping, we’d stop by McDonalds for a bite to eat. Wynonna Judd & Naomi Judd aka The Judds were singing “Grandpa Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days’ on the radio and I was deep in thinking.
“Aren’t we all looking for the good old days?” I asked Linda.
“I think so but the world isn’t like it was for our parents or their moms & dads.” She replied.
I told sis that it was interesting that the origin of the word “cosmos” world derives from the word “cosmetics.” It’s as though makeup has been applied to the face of the earth, causing it to be plastic and unnatural.
“Well, you know what, my friend?” Linda smiled, “What you’re saying reminds me of a statement someone once made: “There’s not a big enough diaper to change the world so we have to change ourselves.”
I looked around the parking area provided by the Target store, as my 65-year old sibling found a spot and pulled in. A mad rush of holiday shoppers were pushing carts and browsing the aisles. Mothers were holding their children’s hands, young couples were in love, and fathers were following their wives.
“Linda, I don’t think the universe is crumbling completely.” I said, as I looked at the racks of clothes. I needed to buy my husband a couple good shirts to wear and couldn’t decide on the color.
“In other words, you think the world is improving.” Sis smiled. “Well, the way I see it, I think if you’re happy, you’re healthy and I won’t let the negativity bother me.”
“That’s what it’s all about, sis. Think of all the newly married couples, trying their best to maintain hope for their children. As long as we’ve got a fair amount of families that are doing things right, the world is improving.”
So, there we were, two aging ladies, listening to endless chatter around us, and concluding that it all has to do with the choices we make. Our shopping carts were full of items to buy and we were standing at the checkout line.
“Hey lady,” a tall, balding middle aged man with brown eyes was yelling, “Hurry up, already. I don’t have all day to stand and wait.” Apparently, this man was annoyed with the cashier working too slow and he was fed up. The cashier was a young, blue eyed blonde that looked like she was going to cry.
“Stop it, Henry, Can’t you see that the cashier is doing the best she can?”
I figured the short and plump woman standing by the man was his wife and she wasn’t going to put up with her husband being rude.
“Don’t mind him,” she said to the cashier, ’He hasn’t learned any manners.”
As my sister and I walked back toward her car, I started singing the song The Judds wrote. We loaded the car with our shopping items, I sat in the passenger seat and I thought outloud. Maybe we’ll all just going to have to ask our Grandpa’s to tell us about the good old days and do the best we can. We can’t change the world but we can change ourselves.
“There is a lot of bad in the world but there’s a lot of good as well. It’s wonderful to know that not every single person is giving up.” Linda smiled, as she pulled out of the department store parking lot and we drove away.