Grocery Shopping Fun

So, this week I learned that there is something worse than shopping hungry - it is shopping hungry AND angry.

Scene: the inside of a grocery store
Characters:
RB - Rational Brain

EB - Emotional Brain

The twins - pain peaks that resemble a couple of four-year-olds stuck in the basket of the cart

Leslie enters the store.  She marches up to the cart racks, wrestles one from the grip of the others, and charges into the store aisles.

EB, muttering: Can't believe all this- I have so HAD it today!  What did I need now?

RB- You were getting some produce for the possums -

Twins, shrieking - CHOCOLATE!!  We will be quiet and let you shop if we get chocolate!!

EB tosses a six-
pack of Hershey bars in the cart, and starts circling produce, hoping that what she needs will leap into the cart as she stomps around the area.

The twins begin tussling in the cart.  One gets hurt and starts to wail.

EB rubs her head and stares blindly at the leafy greens.  She tosses some kind of something into the basket and heads toward the back of the store.

RB- Good, now you need to pick up-

Twins, interrupting - I'VE GOT A BOO BOO!!  Oh, look!  Oreos!!

EB- tosses Oreos into the cart

RB- Is that a good idea?  I mean, you have all ready got chocolate...

EB- DO YOU WANT TO MESS WITH ME??!?  After the day I have had!  What else did I need?

RB- Um, do we have milk?

EB- I don't know -

Wanders up and down a couple more aisle, throwing random things into the cart, ranting silently.

So, with the twins letting out shrieks every couple of aisle, RB loses track of what she was supposed to be remembering, EB compulsively and defensively purchases anything that catches her eye, and Leslie gets home to open the fridge and find no eggs, and nothing to make for dinner.

But, at least there is chocolate and oreos!

Meet Oscar-

Today I want to introduce you to my pain - his name is Oscar, and he is an octopus.  

He is really quite amazing!  Look here to meet Oscar and see what he can do -  He is always with me - today he is stretching himself out so thin and covering my arms and body and holding me down on a chair.  He is stretched over my face so the air that I breathe in is used up and brings me no fresh energy.  But he is thinned out, so there is just an ache and a heaviness all over.  When I walk, he clings to the floor with each step so it takes a lot of effort to move about the room.  Stairs - it is almost impossible, as he grabs the walls and railings and fights me every step.  Once I make it down or up, he will contract to one or two spots and increase suction there to show his displeasure.  Everywhere he touches me drains out energy and causes pain.

Somedays he is quite polite - he finds a little space and curls up and sleeps quietly.  He can change colors and move about quickly.  I find it hardest to get along with him when he grabs my head and neck, turns bright red and squeezes oh, so hard.  

I used to fight with him all the time- I didn't like having an octopus, I didn't ask for one to come and live on me all the time, and I wanted him gone!!  But the more I fought him, the more he would climb onto my face, force me to stare into his eyes, and I could see little else of life. 

 Now,  for the most part, we have made peace.  I know he is there all the time, but mostly I can look at other things, and sometimes, when I am in the right frame of mind, I know that God has given me Oscar for some reason, and I love my Father.  I trust in God to know what I need to become a better person.  I trust in Him to help me carry Oscar.  And by realizing that a loving Heavenly Father has chosen Oscar to be my octopus, sometimes I can love Oscar.