Today I am thankful for a trip to Target.

11.22.19

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I’m not a big one for retail therapy. I’m way too cheap. I can get a little crazy with school supplies during back to school time and I’ve been known to do some damage on Black Friday, but generally I’m not a huge shopper.

However … today was a crazy day. And it was a long week. And I’m still sick. And a little comfort shopping never hurt anyone, right?

All signs pointed toward Target today. I’d actually been carrying around a Target bag in my car for over a week with something I needed to return. Plus, I’ve had light bulbs on my shopping list since one burned out in my 3-bulb living room floor lamp two weeks ago. Last night a second bulb blew –prompting a bulb emergency and an immediate need for a Target run. But the real sign was when I came into my classroom this afternoon after dismissal and I found a sweet note and a Target gift card on my desk as a thank you from someone. I mean, how could I NOT go to Target after school today?

As I drove there I decided to use the credit I’d get from my return (practically like free money, right?) plus the gift card to buy myself something frivolous. I wanted something that just spoke to me – not for my classroom, not to be given as a gift, not something boring like toilet paper or scotch tape. Yes, I’d get the light bulbs, but then watch out Target – Karen is on the loose!

The parking lot was crowded, but as yet another sign that this retail therapy binge-a-thon was meant to be, someone pulled out of the first row, first stall parking spot just as I arrived. Boo-ya! This was going to be epic. I grabbed a cart, and started to walk up and down the aisles waiting for something to speak to me.

Yall, it was hard! I couldn’t think of a single thing I wanted that I could justify buying for myself, ‘just because.’ I looked at clothes and home décor items. I looked at electronics and games. I looked at kitchen gadgets and office supplies. Nothing called to me. Not a damn thing. And yet I remained determined to buy some sort of comfort item – something I didn’t come in for, that would make my long week disappear and would make me smile every time I looked at it or used it.

I think part of my problem was that I was way too tired to shop. And also, like I said before, I’m pretty cheap. Plus my feet hurt. The shoes I wore today were cute but not real comfortable. And after a long day teaching and about 45 minutes wandering around the store, each additional step I took made me more and more aware that walking laps around Target in uncomfortable shoes for the sole purpose of finding comfort was ridiculous. Laughable, even.

I left Target without spending my gift card tonight. I’ll be back to spend it soon, I’m sure. But honestly, it’ll probably be put toward toilet paper and scotch tape. For tonight, though, the money from my return adequately covered the cost of the light bulbs and the one comfort item I decided I absolutely had to have – a pair of cushy insoles to add to my shoes.

And just as I thought I would, I smiled the whole way home.