Some things we're getting right (, Y'all)

Have y'all been to Fresh & Easy? The grocery store?

People.

I think I'm in love.

I had shopped in there before, but yesterday: I had a moment with Fresh & Easy.

So much so that I had to tell a friend about it. Well, didn't have to, but did.

It's just so orderly -- all my organized friends, go check it out and treat yourself -- well lit, the people are nice, cute labels on stuff.

I don't know what the deal was exactly, but yesterday I was walking through the aisles and in my head I was thinking, "FRESH AND EASY! YES!"

Then I got to the parking lot and for whatever reason thought about the fact that it's pretty great that our society has been able to get a lot of people to switch over to reusable grocery bags to save Mother Earth.

Even I have finally made the switch, and it was difficult for me to strike up that habit.

So after my love fest with Fresh & Easy (which, really, is far from over), and then thinking about the bag phenomenon, I thought about some other things our culture/country/world are getting right.

And I think we could all use a list of things we're getting right right about now, am I right? So here's what I came up with. Feel free to add your own in the comments. The comments section is where it's at, babies!

1. Libraries -- we have these places with millions of books and we can just go get them for free. Free books. And if you don't like what you checked out? No big deal. Just take it on back. We're not gonna charge you for that (unless you're late, but the focus here is the free).

2. Animal shelters -- people go find animals that are hurt, lost, abused, neglected, dirty, and they take them and make them better and then they let us take them home with us so we can love them. YES.

(My cat has been with me for less than a week, and I mean it when I say that I already love him. He's snoozing next to me as I write this, btw).

3. Radio -- free music. Pause and remember how rad that is. And occasionally hilarious morning show hosts, who make a drive to work unexpectedly carbonated.

4. Music -- thank God for music!! And how great is it that of all the things that divide us (and while musical genre tastes can divide us, hopefully only casually -- let's keep it calm, folks), music doesn't really. In fact, it unites us -- on dance floors, in worship, on the Internet, in cars on the freeway with our friends, at concerts.

Name one person in your life who is ashamed of admitting his or her joy gained from music. It's one of the only unabashed loves we have left, so I for one am going to keep a death grip on keeping it that way.

While we're on the subject:


Anyone else think Florence looks like Kirsten Dunst, by the way?



5. Box wine -- there is wine in this country that is packaged in a box. This exists. This is fab.

6. I know we're early on here -- and yes, there are major issues with it -- but we are finally moving in the direction of health care for everyone. And again, yes, I know, big issues. But the point is, we're trying. We're finally taking steps toward it; and for a loooong time it wasn't that way. Focus on the forward, friends.

7. There are phone numbers for people to call if they are thinking about suicide, and phone numbers for people to call who suspect someone is being abused. Suicide and abuse suck, to be sure, but having hotlines in place is pretty great.

8. Social workers exist. Thank you, social workers. Every day, thank you.

9. Children are adopted. (Psalm 68:6)

10: TEACHERS!!!! Oh my goodness, teachers. Very likely wouldn't be writing this right now if it weren't for the teachers, including one Mrs. Borth who told one 10-year-old Bailey to "Keep writing."

11. There is a whole crazy (I use that in the good way) subculture of extreme exercise in our country -- Tough Mudder, marathons, Iron Man, etc. If there's gonna be a subculture -- well if it's centered around health and endorphins? I can think of worse things.

12. Public transit exists.

13. And finally: Target exists. And who here is done getting enough of that adorable and handy store? Not I!

That concludes this list for now, though I could make it longer. What would you add? What are we getting right??