A few days ago, I was running around the East Bay trying to get everything I needed for our upcoming trip to India. With less then 5 days to go, and nothing packed, I decided to take the kids on yet another Target adventure, followed by a pit stop at Elephant Pharmacy in Berkeley to grab some essentials.
After about an hour and a half of playing at Target, watching the shopping carts go up and down the escalator, and buying 3 necessary trip items, and about 10 unnecessary, yet justifiable, trip items, I got kids back into the car to continue on our adventure.
The kids were getting tired, but I figured one last stop and a few more exciting moments, they would be sure to pass out in the car on the drive home. Walking into Elephant Pharmacy was like a wonderland for my kids. Cool stuff, cool candy, cool water bottles, and cool little hands just dying to pick everything up. I was nearing the end of my morning caffeine high and really just wanted to get some stuff and jet out.
My mom had called me from India earlier that morning asking me to pick up a pair of cheap sunglasses, something basic that she can wear, since her nice ones were broken. Naturally while looking for my unnecessary, yet justifiable trip items at Target, I forgot the one thing my mom really needed.
Luckily for me, there were some UV shades sitting at the counter, so I had my three year old help me grab a pair. I managed to get the kids out of the store, avoiding one meltdown, and strapped them into the car and finally was set to go home. They both looked a little dazed and confused, but content and all they wanted to do was pass out.
I picked up my phone to call my husband to tell him how great Elephant Pharmacy was and how cheap everything ended up being (which is unheard of at any type of holistic/natural place in Berkeley). I’m starting to back out of my tiny little space, a line of cars behind me has already started to form, and I stopped. I pulled back in and do the one thing I NEVER do, check the receipt. And there was my answer – the nice lady forgot to charge me for the sunglasses.
Now, I immediately knew what the right thing to do was. And, if my kids weren’t snuggled in their car seats, dozing off, happy as clams, I wouldn’t have been thinking:
1. Are you kidding me? I have to take the kids out?
2. The dude behind me, waiting for my space is sending me “hurry the @#$ up vibes”
3. The kids are both quiet
4. I’ll come back and pay for them later
5. The kids are both quiet
6. I’ll never come back later
7. Karma. I got to teach my kids about good karma and doing the right thing…even if they don’t get it
8. Shit! The kids are both quiet
And I did it. I unstrapped the kids, walked back in, told the nice lady she undercharged me and it was karma that brought me back. Plus, I didn’t want to be “that mom”. It made me realize something very important. This is why I chose to stay at home with my kids, because these are things I can show them…and they can also see, that mommy’s have moments of weakness as well.
That night was the start of Rosh Shana (my husband is Jewish, and I’m Indian…and that’s a whole other blog entry), and I felt good…we started the new year with some good karma.
