The Supermarket

The other day I walked into the supermarket to buy a box of Kleenex. I was faced with a variety of colors, textures, box designs, and even the option of aloe. All these features designed for a product to blow my nose into! Selection wasn't limited to the Kleenex section, either…I found abundance in every aisle. We seem to always want more - more choices, more variety, more time. In fact, even the word "supermarket" implies a desire for more than just a simple market.

No longer just a place to buy food, the supermarket has become a place to cash a check, buy a birthday card, or pick up some tulip bulbs. These new extras are all centered on the idea of convenience. We all hope to find a few extra moments in our days, so supermarkets offer us a way to save time. I'll be the first to admit that buying three things at the same store is nicer than driving across town. Saving time can definitely be a good thing.

Variety is another "more" I found on my trip to the supermarket. In the refrigerator case alone I found over thirty kinds of cheese. There was Wisconsin cheese, Italian cheese, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, even goat cheese. Milk worked the same way. I saw skim, ½ %, 1 %, 2 %, whole, and soy. It was amazing! Choices can be fun though. Shopping becomes an experience that allows us to define who we are. Variety is empowering, creating an atmosphere where we feel like products are designed especially for us.

When I got to the freezer case, the idea of convenience popped back into my head. I found frozen breakfast, frozen lunch, frozen dinner, and even frozen dessert. Everything was focused around instant gratification. The deli counter was the same way, with freshly prepared entrees and salads tempting me as I walked by. These parts of the store were centered on the idea of time.

When I reached the candy aisle, a new thought came to mind - indulgence. It soon became clear that indulgence wasn't just limited to the sections involving sugary treats. Cosmetics, fragrant shampoos, bubble bath, candles and potpourri all worked with the same theme. Indulgence is an all around desire for more. I often find myself wanting more enjoyable things in my life. Indulgences like these at the supermarket are an easy way to satisfy these whims. I'm sure we've all given in to the impulse to buy a candy bar now and then.

When I reached the produce section, I thought of image. Bright