eating my slice of humble pie

In between packing and unpacking, de-wallpapering and painting, I drove from our new house back to our old apartment, stopping at the Publix that will be our local supermarket when we make the move final this Saturday.

(Shameless plug: if ANYONE reading this happens to be available at all on Friday or especially Saturday to help move things, please let me know! Preggo Lady here can't do much of anything, particularly since I have to be at work Friday and Saturday nights and will be staying elsewhere to sleep during the day...)

I get to the ice cream aisle to pick up some Edy's, my favorite. And that's when I see: same price (nearly $6 that day for a carton) but a markedly-reduced carton size. Behold:


(Note: the above picture shows both sizes, but when I went to the store, ALL the different varieties of Edy's - yogurt, ice cream, slow-churned, etc. - were all the 1.5 size. Not to confuse anyone...)

Oh, I was peeved. And I didn't get any Edy's, and vowed not to, as long as I could help it. I picked up some Blue Bell instead, cheaper and bigger and just as tasty, in my humble opinion. Stupid, dumb Edy's. Grrr. I stomped off in a pregnant funk to go pick up my cheese and milk and head home.

Later, I was eating my Blue Bell ice cream - oh my goodness, best cookies and cream flavor EVER - and thinking about the downsizing and my own attitudes. I realize I'm not the only one affected by our slumping economy and rising gas prices: it seems like fuel and milk have been in a neck-and-neck battle to see who can be more expensive. And haven't I been quietly griping for eons now about the super-sizing of portion sizes, America's children, and my own waistline? I want to cry every time I see an obese child with a large McDonald's fry carton in their hand, or entire families waddling painfully down the snack aisle at Target. Do I not get a special little thrill when the latest 100-calorie pack creation shows up on my supermarket shelf, where I heartily acknowledge I am paying extra moolah so someone else can control my portions for me? And here I am, fuming in my car because suddenly, my ice cream - perhaps my biggest weakness - has one whole cup less product for me to consume, then feverishly try to eliminate from my thighs later down the line? Do I really need that extra cup? Hmmmm.

And as I was eating those last melty spoonfuls, I came across this photo essay on abcnews.com:

Hungry Planet

Sometimes, I need a little reminder like that when I start complaining that food prices are rising too high for me to afford a daily portion of junk. It feels a bit like I'm the kid on Christmas morning who gets more toys than anyone else around... and complains that there is one less gift than last year. How easily I forget how much He has blessed me, day in and day out.

And there are logical, practical next steps I can take in this awareness toward responsible consumerism - remembering that I am only one of billions who need to eat each day - but maybe for now, the next time I head into Publix, I will not grumble but instead offer a silent prayer of gratitude for a well-stocked supermarket to shop at, the money to provide for all my necessities, and even some left over to make ice cream, no matter how "overpriced", an option in my privileged life.

(No, I will not make you sing "We Are the World" and hold hands with me.)