I have been thinking a lot about quantity and quality lately. I was wandering around Sam’s Club twice in the last week with my mother, shopping for things for the new house. I found myself memorized by all the choices of things to buy and the size and quantity of various items left me speechless. I used to shop at Sam’s Club sometimes but now the thought of a double 24 oz of ketchup just seems silly. Now obviously there are business reasons for shopping this big or maybe you have a family of 8 who love their hotdogs and French fries.
But as I wandered through the aisles a small smile came to my face as I think about my neighbor Edna who comes over to the ‘grocery store’ every morning around 6 am or earlier and says “Pa gen moun” – [Is anyone there?], “Vini achte” – [I have come to buy.] She comes over every morning to buy sugar or rice or 1 bouillon cube for the day. Many people come and buy that days food. I used to think maybe it was because they didn’t have enough money to buy 2 days worth of food. But that is not it. It is just the way they do it in Haiti. I don’t understand it, but know I also don’t understand buying a year’s supply of ketchup.
I hear so many people say “we are so blessed in this country” when they hear me tell stories of Haiti.
I am not so sure that I would call a year’s supply of ketchup a blessing.
Are we blessed?
Maybe we are blessed with ThinGs!
Too many things maybe, maybe spoiled with all the comforts of life we lose sight of what is really important. When you have an over quantity of stuff when do you lose sight of quality of life.
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