Is Retail Taking Over The Thanksgiving Holiday?

Over the last couple of Thanksgiving Holidays I have notice a trend that has become overwhelming over the last couple of years. Why are retail stores open on Thanksgiving? There was a time when I was a kid that no stores were open on this holiday. The government has given us a day to give thanks for the blessings we have and spend time with family and friends. With that being said, why would anyone want to be open on the 4th Thursday of November every year? Don't the retail stores have families and friends that they would like to spend time with? I just think this being open on thanksgiving and opening up at midnight on black Friday is starting to get out of hand.

I work part time for a retail store and I had to work black Friday from midnight to 9 am.  Being as though I had to work overnight, I slept for the most part of the day so I would be awake for the midnight rush. I barely spent time with my family on the day we are suppose to give thanks. I woke up to eat and went back to sleep. Not having those normal traditions in my family like watching football all day with my father, going to church as a family and smelling the good cooking going on from the kitchen from my mother. I was robbed of those traditions for the first time in my life and I don't know how I felt about this.

I was never a black Friday type of guy and have only ventured out only once a couple of years back for a midnight sale at the outlets and I told myself I would never do it again. First, i was missing the Eagles game and the only reason I went was to take my former fiance up there. I left my house around 10 pm and had smooth sailing until I got 1 mile to the exit where I was suppose to get off at. I sat in traffic for 2 1/2 hours just to reach the exit off of 422. Then it took another 1 1/2 hours just to get to the entrance of the outlets. Then it was no parking whatsoever so I drove around for 2 1/2 hours trying to find parking. Finally parked and walked to the coach store to get a purse only to wait in line and hour just to get into the store. After in the store, picked the purse for my mother and her and waited in the checkout line for 2 hours. Meanwhile I am looking outside and it looks like the sun is about to come up. I got home at almost 7am and I saw my dad and he said you are just now getting home and laughed at me. Never again.

As I walked into work around 11:30pm there was a line around the corner with people waiting to get in. People had lawn chairs and coolers like they were out there all day. I am saying to myself, don't these people have families? Why are they out here camped out and not at home resting from all the fun stuff you did all day with your families? I know that these sales are really good and tempting but waiting in line all day is it really worth it? Does anybody remember when stores use to open at 6 am and not midnight? I think 6 am is good, why did they push it back to midnight? Before you know it, black Friday will be black Thursday and and Thanksgiving will not be a holiday anymore and just a shopping day.

Have we lost the value of family and friends on Thanksgiving? Are we just waiting till we can pack up the car and wait in line to get a sale? Is that the priority now? Don't get me wrong I think Black Friday is a wonderful idea and lots of companies profit so much on this day alone but what's the difference in 6 hours? Open up at 6 am instead of midnight. And the places that don't close at all why? Give those employees a chance to give thanks on the day they have been given to do that. How do you guys feel about it? Where you camping out in lines since 6pm on Thanksgiving? Did you cut your family and friend time short just to catch a sale? Let me know you thoughts. 

Moving Forward

Are the words "I will forgive you but not forget" sound familiar to you? What is the meaning of forgiveness- the attitude of someone who is willing to forgive other people. What is the meaning of forget- to be unable to think of or remember or to stop thinking or caring about. If that is the case, then why does this statement always be said? Something really to think about. Can you forgive without forgetting? Are you honestly forgiving if you don't forget about it?

I think this is a very interesting topic. We all go through trials and tribulations in life and us as society come across people and certain situations where we face these same questions. What should I do? This person hurt me and I can't forget it. I won't forget it. I want to make sure this never happens again. All things that are relevant when you come to a situation where decisions have to be made. Really, what do you do?

The past will continue to haunt your future by things that we will not let go of. How can you move forward without letting go of what happen in the past? Too many past situations hinder our progression in life because we allow it to. Moving forward means just that. The past is the past and you can no longer control that, your future, you can somewhat control with the decisions you make. Being hurt and disappointed is no walk in the park and somethings are very hard to get over. There is no time limit to how and when you can get over things but you are doing yourself an injustice by holding on to things that you can no longer control.

New Beginners try and look at moving forward as progress. I guess what I am trying to say is forgiving really letting go of the situation that hurt you or letting go of the emotions associated with what hurt you. If you still carry all those emotions that you felt when you were first hurt then have you honestly forgiven that person? Let me know your thoughts people.

Until It's Gone

I was watching television the other day and I came across singer Monica's latest single "Until It's Gone" video. I caught it at the end so I really didn't catch the words. I like the beat and everything and I told myself I would look it up on youtube. So I watched the video this morning and I was amazed by the words and the plot of the video. Normally when you look at videos, most of them don't really have any real meaning. This one was very deep and I was drawn in more and more as the song played. I think this is the first video that I actually had to fight back tears. I know what you are saying, its just a video but I believe it is a very powerful one. All these emotions just came over me just like that.

Have you ever thought about having something or someone in your life that's good and you took it for granted and didn't realize it until its gone? I know I have and I have had females that I have had past relationships with tell me that they missed me and no other man has treated me and loved me the way I have. Apology after apology I got saying I didn't know what I had till it was gone. I can say to myself that I helped contribute to a breakup of a wonderful woman that I have loved very much but it just didn't work out.

I think about this in all of our relationships in life with potential mates, family member's, and friendships. I took my relationship with my grandmother for granted a little because I always thought she would be there. I would say to myself I will go visit her is later on in the month and then that month turns into 6 and then in July she passed away. I knew she was sick and I took for granted that she would pull through and she didn't. I really wanted to say goodbye to her before she passed and tell her how much I loved her. I know she is looking down on me now as I am writing this and she knows what's in my heart, along with my other loved ones.

I ask of my New Beginners that we mend all those relationships you have had that you took for granted. If you really love something, you will work hard to keep it. If not, its really not worth having at all. Don't have the person saying to you "your going to miss me when I am gone". Cherish those moments with your loved ones and don't take it for granted because they can be snatched out of you life in a instant. Just like that they could be gone. Accidents can happen along with tragedies. Tell those special people in your life that you love them and show them as well because its really hard to do when they are gone.

Cleaning Out Your Closet

This weekend I gave myself the wonderful task of cleaning out my closet. Putting my summer clothes away and replacing them with the fall and winter clothes. Every year we do the same thing, putting clothes away and washing the one from last season so we can wear them. Sometimes, this is a task that we try to avoid as much as possible but should we? Should we throw away or donate the clothes that just doesn't fit right anymore?

In life, I believe that this task should not be taken lightly because there are things that change in our lives from season to season. Cleaning out your closet should be a task that is a New Beginning from one season to another. Out with the old, in with the new right? In life I think we need to clean out our closets from time to time. Get rid of the things or people that are holding you back and replace them with new things or new people that are on the same page as you. Donate those things and people that you no longer need to someone else who might be looking for those things. Wash your hands of that season and start a new. Reevaluate the company you keep, the values you have and make sure it's the best you. You owe it to yourself.

Next time you decide to clean out your closet and put away the summer clothes and bring out the winter clothes or vice versa, think about your life and see if you need to do any cleaning. Make sure your not wearing a mask and its the real you! When was the last time you cleaned out your closet? Do you do it often? Do you not do it enough? Let me know your thoughts?

The Friendship Zone, Nice Girl Nice Guy

Have you ever fallen into the category of "The Friendship Zone"? Nice men and woman fallen into the category all the time in the dating world. What puts you into this zone with trying to find potential mates? Can it be that you are too nice if that's such a thing? Can it be the space that the potential mate is in? It could be a number of things right?

When finding a mate, don't we look for the same qualities and characteristics that we do in a friend? Kind, loyal, dependable, loving, caring, trustworthy, honesty. Who would not want that in a mate? I do understand that there has to be some kind of connection, a connection deeper than the one of the friend. One that makes you want to "be" with that person. What is it? I know its different for everyone and everyone's situation is different and it might be different for men and woman.

After asking some married couples including my parents what makes a good marriage/relationship with your mate, the majority of them said, I married my best friend. Trust, honesty, caring, loving and all the stuff that we look for in friends turns out are the main qualities in mates. Not saying that this is the end all be all but it gives you something to think about right? I know that there needs to be some kind of physical attraction to the potential mate but does the physical attraction make the relationship last? Eventually they way that person looks will run out and what do you have left, all the qualities that you would want in friendship right?

Had a conversation with one of my friends today about how single men always say "there are no good woman out there" and females say "there are no good men out there". This statement is completely inaccurate and I have no idea why people say these statements when they are. That's the problem with society today with these preconceived notions about potential mates. Men and women need to change there mindsets and statements about this topic. Just because you have not run into "the right" person for you, that doesn't mean that there are no good guys or good women out there. It's crazy how they never get the shot until the person has been in a bunch of relationships that did not last for whatever reason. Well it seems that way to me. Only my opinion.

Nice woman and nice men are not weak but they are strong. Strong enough to continue to be the person they are no matter what or how many times they have been turned down by a potential mate. They are strong enough emotionally to be there for you when times get rough because they can be your friend as well. They are strong enough to hold you down because they truly care for your well being. They are strong enough to show their emotions and let you know that they care for you. Nice guys and women get passed over all the time and all of them have so much to offer but never get the chance. How and why is that? My best friend hit me with an equation today that I believe is very powerful and makes you really think. Here it is:
Love-Lust and Money=X. Solve for X

Talk to me ladies and gentleman. Let me know your thoughts.
Blessings