I had a post I was going to publish today about handsoap, but my heart was just not in it. It was a really draining emotional day yesterday and I had a moment where my husband and I were walking down the office supply aisle in Costco and I just lost it.
My husband looked at me and said, “You can’t cry in Costco!”
I stared at him for a moment as tears streaked down my cheeks and then I burst into bubbling giggles. The statement was so random. I loved the obscurity of it.
I collapsed in a nearby office chair in hysterics. Caught between tears and laughter, I laid my head back in the chair and closed my wet eyes. The chair moved. It was a swivel chair. This was the deciding factor. My tears stopped. I smiled. My kids went back to school this week and it has been rough. But my son’s favorite thing about his new school are the swivel chairs in one of his classrooms. I could see the appeal.
I put my foot on the floor and pushed a little. I did not remove my foot from the security of the ground. If tears are forbidden in Costco, then spinning must surely be frowned upon. However, who puts three perfectly good swivel chairs in the middle of an aisle if one does not want them to be tested out?
Being incapable of self control, I let go of my foot. I set it down, only to lift it up again and again. I spun faster and faster. Soon I was laughing. My husband looked at me caught between embarrassed horror and acceptance.
“Come on,” I said as I stood up. “Get in. You have to spin!”
He reluctantly sat in the chair, his arms only halfway resting on its surface as he hunched his shoulders in a crouch in case he got caught and had to get up quickly. I moved his arms so they were sitting in a position so that he was no longer a Golem-like statue. He slowly began to spin. Not much. He is not as arrestable cool as his wife. I clapped my hands in delight. He opened his mouth to speak. I could not wait to hear the happy review of fun that would pour from his dizzy lips.
“You know,” he started. “I use a swivel chair at work everyday.” This was not said in a bragging voice as one who makes a statement such as that should use. It was said in a blasé, this is not impressive at all to me tone.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head in disappointment.
“But do you spin?” I asked, all ready knowing the answer.
“No, but…”
I sat down in an opposite swivel chair, closed my eyes and ceased to listen. Then I got a dizzy high in Costco.
Because sometimes life is going to punch you in the stomach and make you fall down. But if it also generously provides you with a chair. A chair that spins. A safe place to not only fall, but to also momentarily escape the stifle of life. Then by golly, there is no other choice.
If your heart is heavy. If your stomach has dropped. If your soul has sagged to your toes. The only cure is to lift them up. The fastest way to do so is to spin as fast as you can. Do not stop until you feel all three negative sources dance together in a kaleidoscopic twirl of harmony.
Or you throw up.
Either way, it is a distraction.
It’s The Little Things: If you can’t cry in Costco, then surely you can laugh.
*Obvious disclosure: I cannot condone the spinning in Costco. Nor can I be held responsible for any accidents that may occur while doing so. If you choose to spin, please do so at your own risk. And kids don’t do anything I would do. It might result in you actually crying in Costco. And we can’t be having that.
Hi Jenni,
Not too long ago, I met a group of friends for a jog on a high school track. We’ve all been a bit stressed and down lately, so we decided to skip. None of us had skipped since we were children. Mind you, we’re a group of gals in our 40’s, 50’s and 60’s, so you can just imagine the looks we got, but it felt so good to be careful enough to skip and burst into uncontrollable laughter. This reminded me of your chair spinning experience in the middle of Costco — I’ll need to try that on my next visit 🙂
Have a nice weekend, Angela
Thank you for sharing that experience, Angela. I can picture it and that is so cool. I am not even sure I can skip any more. I might try it tomorrow while everyone is gone. Great idea! Let me know if you try the chair. : )
Have a wonderful week!
Jenni
Apparently, I need to get myself to Costco ASAP. Maybe it is what I have been missing to pull myself out of this slump
I am in.
I hope it does! Otherwise at least you will feel better getting some shopping done. I always feel better after going there. I think it is because it satisfies my hoarding need for food. I hope you feel better. I am thinking of you.
Have a lovely week!
Jenni
Oh Jenni, I know how you feel. I have cried so much in the past few weeks – whether happy or sad. You are right – doing something totally silly really helps the situation!
Thanks Heather. It is an emotional time. It was just that day. I feel fine now. I hope you are doing better, too. Being silly is definitely the best cure! : )
Sweet dreams!
Jenni
I know the feeling. School is stressful. We are putting Jack in a new, much larger public school instead of his small, wonderful but seriously SO expensive private school for 1st grade. I am freaking out. I like the new school and have been impressed (more than I thought I would) BUT sending him all day anywhere is hard on this momma. I may need to cry in costco…or spin…or whatever… 🙂 Hope you have a great, stress-free weekend!
Oh, I hope it goes smoothly. I am sure it will. He is so happy and well adjusted I know he will shine. It is so much harder for us mommas. Definitely cry in Costco. Nobody is looking anyway. They are all just looking for free food samples. : ). And then you can find something fun in the store. I love Costco! Even a chocolate yogurt there can make me happy. I hope you post how his first day went. I will be thinking of you.
Have a marvelous Monday!
Jenni
arg…..I know this feeling and you’ve described it so well! I love your positive outlook and I’m waiting for your book on life lessons…you’re a fabulous writer! I always love what you have to say!
You are so sweet. Thank you so much. I am just stumbling through life, but I just always try to have fun. You made my day. I really appreciate it!
Have a lovely week!
Jenni
Jenni… I’m sorry you were having a terrible day yesterday. But I’m glad that you and your husband are able to put a positive spin on things (sorry… I could not resist).
Lots of hugs.
Ha! I honestly had not thought of that. Too funny. I love your wit! And thank you. It was just one of those days. The weekend was great. I cannot believe it is over all ready. That is so sad!
Thank you for the hugs! : ). Have a great week!
Jenni
Loved this post! I am so sorry you are having a rough time. You are in my thoughts. I want you to know how much your blog brightens my day. Copying you yesterday by laying on the floor with my bully helped me feel better so I will have to try giving my swivel chair a spin today. I read an article about happiness for work this week and it said one of the biggest contributors to happiness is to do something kind for someone else. It also said it is important to feel and express gratitude. Thank you for doing something kind for me by brightening my day!
P.S. I saw The 100 foot Journey this weekend. It was a really good movie.
Thank you so, so much. Reading this comment truly brightened my day. And I am going to bed in a few minutes and will remain smiling into sleep because of your kind words. I agree with you about doing something kind for someone else. That always feels so good. I try to do something daily, but the strifes of life sometimes get in the way. I need to make more of an effort. You are so sweet to say yours was me. Truly. Thank you.
I will have to see The 100 Foot Journey. It sounds intriguing. I was just making the kids’ lunches for school tomorrow and I hear a rustling and a clunking behind me. It was Ollie so hopeful he was getting a second dinner. He got love but no more food. When I turned off the light, he snorted in disdain all the way to his bed. That boy would eat all night if we let him!
Thank you again! Have a wonderful week!
Jenni
When I first read the title of your post I started to laugh and read it out loud to Freddy. This is because I am a Costco crier. I can’t even step in the store because I get so overwhelmed I usually start crying within 10 minutes upon entering the store. It freaks Freddy out horribly.This happens at IKEA too. And any other huge big box store with no windows or oxygen and tons of people.
But – then I read your post and for you it was much more than lack of oxygen. I so hope the spinning helped. Life certainly does punch us in the stomach sometimes. And more. Ugh. I am so sorry that you are going through such a trying time. I think crying in Costco is perfectly acceptable. Now we just need to convince our hubbys that it’s ok.
xoxo
Thanks Cynthia. I know exactly how you feel about the lack of oxygen. That is exactly how I feel at Comic Con. I start panicking and the exit seems like a horror movie being so far away. I have to wonder where our husbands do think it is okay to cry. I cannot imagine the acceptable place. : ). I knew it was going to happen because I had been trying to collect myself in the car before we went in, but I would have needed hours and my husband had to go to work. It all ended up being okay, but sometimes you just have to let it out and then spin. Thanks for letting me know I am not alone. I appreciate that.
Have a lovely Monday!
Jenni
Hmmm…I sit in a swivel chair all day at work too, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to spin in it, I would get so motion sick I’d have to go home. Oh wait, maybe that’s a good excuse to go home for the day…. 😉
Ha! Can you imagine having to go home from spinning in your chair? Oh my gosh. The image of that makes me laugh. I am trying not to because my husband is asleep beside me. I would hate to explain why he got woken up. : ). Swivel chairs make me happy.
Have a great week!
Jenni
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