Price Match on Isle 4 Bob!

So today I decided to put aside my fear of public embarrassment and do something that I have been thinking about doing for months. Price matching. The Great Canadian Superstore (where I shop) matches all competitors advertised prices and I have seen several people do price matching while I was in line with my own groceries. Until today I was too afraid to embarrass myself to do it. The pressure of people behind me in line, the cashier who rolls her eyes as she has to do extra work, the other customers who scowl or just plain think that I am poor single mom who can't afford crap. Well, this week, when the fliers arrived in the mail, instead of just shunting them off to the recycle bin without even looking at them, I decided to take a peek. I only circled things in the flyer that were "big ticket" items, or items that I would like, but usually cannot afford. 

And yes, when I got up to the cash, I held my fliers in my hands, my face bright red with mortification, glancing out of the corner of my eyes at the customers behind me in chagrin and whispered to the cashier "I have some price matching stuff", I was feeling overwhelmed and humiliated. But as the cashier smiled and said that I just need to shower her the item and the flier, and the lady behind me in line gasped and exclaimed that she had no idea that they did that there and the lady behind her smiled indulgently, I realized that what I thought would be about public embarrassment actually came down my own opinions and judgments of others. **I** have been that woman who sighed in frustration about having to wait an extra two minutes in line. **I** have been that woman who looked at a price matcher with pity, thinking that they were poor and had to lower themselves to coupon cutting. **I** have been the sanctimonious idiot with skewed view about others.

So as I sit here, drinking my coffee flavoured with International Delight (saved $2.80), about to put some laundry in to wash (saved $10 on the soap!) I realize that I need to change my perceived notions about others, myself and society. I like to think that I am quite liberal and excepting of others but things like today make me realize that being accepting of others and myself is an ongoing value. That opening your heart and mind is really what breaks down the barriers between others and yourself and working towards that is an admirable goal for us all.

P.S. -- I saved over $50 on groceries! GERONIMO!