Groceries

I love grocery shopping.

When I am grocery shopping, I'm someone else.

I am the person I want to be.

My 5 year-old and I usually go grocery shopping on Saturday morning. We go to the local super-HEB. We have a routine: we get a race-car shopping cart and make a circuit of the freebie handouts. We are particularly fond of this one station where they actually cook. We call it “our favorite place”. Dave works there. The thing is, when I am shopping with my girl I'm this other person: happy, friendly, outgoing, patient. I am the best parent you have ever seen: loving, gentle, attentive. I smile at strangers, I hold doors open for people. I chat with store employees and other shoppers. I am the most outgoing person you’ve ever met. This is not usual for me. It’s not that I am unhappy or unfriendly, but I'm a bit shy and don’t usually find it easy to talk to people.

Why is that? Why is it that in a slightly different setting I'm suddenly free to be who I want to be? Why is it so easy to be super-dad with my friends’ kids or with my own in a store? Why can’t I just be who I want to be all the time?

I love the grocery shopping me, why does he only make a weekly appearance?

I had this conversation with a friend of mine yesterday. We made a deal that we would try to be who we want to be all the time. I can do it, I do it every week, why not make that the new me?

Are you sometimes someone else?

So next time you are at an HEB and you see a really great outgoing, friendly guy with a 5 year-old girl, say hi to me, tell me what you think of this post.