Grocery Store Melt Down (August 2008)

Oops, I did it again. I caught myself moving towards tears in the aisles of Whole Foods.

When we learned about the extent of Ben's food allergies (now eight years ago), I was overwhelmed with trying to find food to feed the kid. I spent hours grocery shopping at multiple stores.

As the years wore on, grocery stores seemed to get that there was a demand for different products. I was even buying wheat-free "Tapioca Loaf" at my local Kroger.

But alas, I guess I am not a big enough market for the grocery stores to continue to stock for; and slowly, trip by trip, my regular purchases have been disappearing from the shelves. I am once again returning to multiple stores and ordering food online as well.

And hence, the tears. The allergy thing -- just when I think I have a handle on it something changes. And as I typically do, I tried to look for the life lesson that is hidden inside this super annoying frustration.

This is what I came up with. This allergy thing is just like all of life; it's unpredictable and I am not in control.

It's no different than just the act of parenting in and of itself, regardless of allergies. Just when you feel like you have a handle on rearing your children, something changes. Whether it's a new skill learned by your child, a new challenge like orthodontia, or a new demand for increased independence, life with children is full of trials. I am not in control.

We must figure out a way to adapt and continue to go with the flow; doing the best job that we can. There is no choice here. This is just what it is.

So I can fall to tears in the aisle of Whole Foods or I can suck it up; laugh at myself and ask myself how am I going to conquer this new obstacle.

This allergy thing -- it keeps me growing.

I can cry at the grocery store, but at the end of the day I need to pick myself up and know that an obstacle is just something to get over.