Handicapped Parking

I used to do it.

I'm completely guilty.

I had no idea how incredibly inconsiderate and rude I was being with such a simple and lazy action.

I mean, it was just too much work to take my empty grocery cart to the cart stall or back into the store after I had already shopped for 2 hours with a crying, tantrumming, agressively overstimulated child just to buy stuff that would be consumed within the week and then I'd be back again.

I mean, come on. Give me a break!

I did not have time to put away my cart.

I read a post several years back about how rude and thoughtless people were who did not return their cart and it really hit me! (Gasp!) I'm that rude and thoughtless person!!

OK. Granted when I read this post I was not taking young children with special needs into an overstimulating super store and therefore was not as taxed and worn out like I used to be, but I was perfectly capable of putting the cart away.

So, I have made it a goal to park close to a cart stall so I can return it easily or close by the front of the store to return it through the front door, all because of someone's ranting post about returning grocery carts.

I TOTALLY get the whole, I can barely get my kids into the carseat and still keep my head on straight let alone even think about returning a stupid cart to the store. Heck, I was lucky sometimes to even remember to get all my groceries, purse or phone out of my cart! I can't tell you how many times I thanked the Lord for honest people when I would leave my purse or food in the cart that I had left by my driver's side door in my desperate escape from mayhem.

One of my happiest moments of service are the times when I get to return a cart for an over-tired, over-worked mom or an older person that seemed to just need help lifting the heavy stuff into their car.

So I try not to judge or be mad, because I've been there.

I've unknowingly been that "thoughtless" or in my words "desperate and forgetful" person that leaves my cart by my car or in the empty parking stall next to me. Heck, I've even gone to the work of lifting a cart up over the curb so it wouldn't roll away, but would also save me the time of walking 8 stalls over to put the cart away.

So, here's my gripe:

Why is it, that lately, I have been noticing the disabled or handicapped parking spots are plum full of grocery carts?!!

Are people really in that big of a fog that they think that there would never be a disabled person who would go shopping.

I can just picture the thought process now, "Oh, it's not like this spot gets used that often, I'll just put it here..." 

Blech!

I was at a store today and there were 6 carts in one handicapped parking stall!

Really?!

I cannot tell you how many times while our kids were growing up that we have wrestled, ran, ducked and covered or literally flown across a parking lot to save our children, who are completely unaware of the danger of the cars in the parking lot, from being hit, smooshed or flattened by one. I have wished many, many times, that we had a handicapped parking pass so that we could have the blessing of being closer to the entry of wherever it is we are going. It would have been such a blessing! I can't imagine what it would be like if our three kids were in wheel chairs and we can't find a place to park because all of the places for us to access easily are crowded by grocery carts!

If you don't have the time, patience or sanity to put your cart away after a long, drawn-out, taxing in more ways than one shopping trip, please, at least put it in a spot that doesn't have a wheel chair painted on it in blue and white.

OK, that's it.

Rant over.

On the bright side, Brother was a lot of fun tonight when we tucked him into bed. He was joking with us and really laughing happily. I love seeing his personality shine! He's a credit to his name and truly brighten's up the world around him.

I think his really good mood was credited to him having the opportunity to see a dear friend and get a picture with her! I don't think he stopped smiling since this picture was taken at the game he was cheering at tonight!