We traveled this weekend to see my in-laws. I was looking forward to it for many reasons. One was that I had planned a morning out for myself. The activity: shopping! Where we live, Wal-Mart is the main store, so to go where there are countless stores and several malls, usually there are a few errands to run. Now, I wasn't going to go crazy - an hour or two of shopping is my limit before getting tired. I was simply going to pick up something for Sweet Girl at Babies R Us, return, buy diapers and browse at Target, and then to the mall to hit some favorite stores to look for bargains.

Whenever I go to a mall, I am always reminded of what our culture is really about. I guess I'm a bit sheltered since I don't watch tv, my family and friends have the same values, and I don't go many places outside of the library and grocery store. By the time I'm done, I have a bit of a culture shock and feel the need to debrief in silence. The music, the people... all the stuff.

I surely saw plenty that I wanted. I was happy to purchase a few things I had on my list (to keep me on track) and that they were great prices. Of course, I could have pined about what I couldn't buy, but I didn't let myself go down that road. Still, I remembered what that felt like, and I remembered how easy it is to be jealous of those who seem to have everything they want, buy whatever they want. On my drive home, I noticed it was so close to Sweet Girls nap time, and I was sad I had taken up so much of the morning. I missed her yet I would need to put her down shortly after I got home.

And as I did, holding her in my arms, nursing her to sleep, I was so very thankful that although I couldn't come home with all that I "wanted", I did come home to all that I needed and that which truly makes one happy.