Thank You... Sincerely,

Thank You... Sincerely,

   Dear Pleasant Customer,

As a person who has worked in retail for many, many oh yeah, many years. I, like all my fellow retail workers have come into contact with a slew of people and their "lovely" personalities.

On behalf of the retail workforce, I'd like to extend a sincere thank you to the pleasant customers. There's aaa llllooootttt to thank you for so try to stay with me.

First of all we'd like to thank you, for entering the store and returning the smile we've bestowed onto you. Also for answering our extremely simple question of "May I help you?" with an equally simple "Yes, please" or a "No, thank you".  Not a snotty and dismissive "I'm just looking" that's not necessary or appreciated. We're not blind, deaf or dumb! Clearly you're looking, plus that wasn't the question! So again, thank you for entering with a good attitude.

Second, thank you for not being the customer treating us like we're your slave. Newsflash! We're here to try to ensure that everyone who shops have a pleasant shopping experience, not just you. We're not here to kiss your ass!

Thank you dearly, for not being that customer that can't control their child/children. We appreciate you knowing your child's/children's nap or eating schedule and not choosing to bring them shopping, assaulting everyone with their yelling, screaming and crying the whole time. All the while ignoring them. Cause the last thing anyone wants to hear, is your whiny lil brat. Also the store is not their playground!

Thank you for having common sense and not being the customer who sees us in a uniform, wearing a name badge, stocking merchandise or using a pallet jack and still ask "Do you work here?" You have no idea how often we get asked such an asinine question. Also (and this is especially on behalf of my melanin sufficient retail workers) thank you for not assuming that only the white employees will have correct information. 

Thank you for realizing that 98% of the time, a medium shirt is a medium shirt. Regardless of the color! So there's no need to unfold all of them. Cause guess what? We have plenty to do, without having to clean up behind you. 

Lastly, thank you for understanding that sometimes the answer is going to be no. Realizing that we do try to accommodate your needs, but sometimes you can't always get what you want. Also knowing that throwing a tantrum, isn't going to get you what you want.  

So truly, from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you for being so pleasant and such a joy to help. You may very well, be saving us from killing the ones who drive us crazy.

Sincerely,        

Your local retail worker

Can you forgive... yourself?

Can you forgive... yourself?

Of all the many quotes we've all seen about forgiveness. One thing rings true. Forgiving someone is more for you, than the one who has wronged you. But what do you do, when you're having a difficult time forgiving yourself?

I, just like everyone else have been hurt or wronged by someone close to my heart. I can be quite forgiving... maybe not right away, but eventually forgiveness does come. Now, don't misunderstand me. Not by any means do I consider myself to be perfect. I've made my share of mistakes and have hurt people as well. Certainly not with any malicious intentions, cause I'm not that type of evil, toxic person. I own up to my mistakes and apologize for them. Eventhough the person I've wronged may have forgiven me. I always have the hardest time, forgiving myself. I'm talking the dramatic "I have dishonored my family, ready to fall on my sword" hard time. Go ahead, it's okay to laugh at it, I did.  

Majority of my life, I've been there for other's more than myself. Family, friends, boyfriends and even work. I'm what you would call a giver or caretaker. The one who people are comfortable to talk to and depend on. Pretty much anything I could do to help or be there for someone, I was. Even if I didn't necessarily want to do it, I did it anyway. I found it disappointing and I would kinda beat myself up when I couldn't. So hurting someone I loved or cared for, is devastating to me. 

I've done soul searching to try to figure this out and I come up with bupkis. I view it as one of my worst flaws. Is it something I can change? Perhaps. Only time and cognizant practice will tell. Till then, all I can do is learn from my mistakes and try not to repeat them.