Park It!

This week’s blogs are going to beg for some input from you, the reader.  I wanted to take an opportunity to air some of my pet peeves as well as offer a forum wherein you can air yours as well.  I have learned that to rant on and on about my own personal pet peeves have done little in the past to relieve or change situations.  However, when I have taken a moment to recognize the root of why something “gets on my nerves”, I can then try to figure out something that I can do constructively and pro-actively to change the situation, and in that way I won’t have to rage on feeling powerless to it.

For example, one of my biggest pet peeves is when people don’t bother taking their shopping carts a few feet to the cart park and then just leave their shopping carts anywhere in the parking lot, often blocking another parking spot or in a place where the cart can easily hit another car.  I have often seen people push their unloaded cart to an area that is actually further away from the cart park just because they appeared too lazy to take a moment to look for the nearest cart park area.  I have often wondered if they felt the hot, sharp daggers of my gaze, but I doubt it.

Recently, I figured out why it bothered me so.  It is because to me, it shows a lack of accountability.  Here’s how I see it, the storekeeper has provided a nice parking lot and a shopping cart for my convenience (for free, I might add), the least I can do to repay the favor is to return to them their carat in the proper designated area so that I can allow another customer to enjoy the convenience that store has bestowed on me.  I guess an argument can be made that the store offers a parking lot and cart so that I, the consumer, will find it convenient to shop there and therefore get my repeat business, but so what?  And I supposed it can be rationalized that the store owner probably pays staff to gather shopping carts from the parking lot and so therefore, returning the cart is “not my job”, but I think I’d rather have that staff member in the store actually helping me or someone else.  Besides, I was always taught (and have taught my own boys) the “leave it better than you found it” concept.

Next, my “buddy”, “Rage” and I have decided to be pro-active and have harnessed our power for good and not evil, and we take our cart, along with all the others we find “misplaced” along the way, and return them to their happy home.  I’m hoping someone notices us and pays it forward.  I admit I still get peeved every time I see “rogue” shopping carts in a parking lot, but I’m trying people!

So, now here’s an invitation for you to air your pet peeve(s) and what you’re doing (or planning on doing) pro-actively.  I know you have great ideas to help all of us use our power for good.

-Tessa L. Charles