I was doing my grocery shopping this morning, as I do every Monday.

When you do your shopping at the same time every week, you tend to meet those people who also regularly shop at the same time every week. Today I was greeted by a young man who I see most Mondays. He obviously has special needs and shops with his carer. “Good morning,” he said brightly, and I smiled and returned his greeting. As I turned away, I heard him say in a loud and satisfied voice, “That’s a happy lady. She makes me happy too.”

I was touched by his simplicity and began to think, as I walked around, putting bread and cheese and milk into my trolley, how wonderful it is to be able to shop for groceries.

Some time ago, I listened to a man who was talking about the things that make us happy. He was a man who had had it all: a big house, fast cars, a happy marriage to a beautiful woman, only to have it all taken away from him in the property crash. Divorced and broke, he descended into alcoholism and despair until it occurred to him one day that he still had a lot to be grateful for. Gradually, he brought himself back from the brink and is now a motivational speaker. “Having things doesn’t make you happy,” he says. “Being happy makes you happy: enjoying what you’ve got. Shopping for groceries is as good as it gets.”

In this country, the grocery shops are full, with most things you want on the shelves. Most of us can remember, during the pandemic, how soon the basics disappeared. Toilet roll disappeared; flour disappeared; staples like pasta and rice disappeared as people stockpiled. Today, I can be fairly sure of getting everything I need.

I realise not everyone is in my position but, although we budget for groceries like most people, there is enough in the kitty to cover them. I’m careful: I make a shopping list and stick to it, and steak is a once a month treat, but I don’t need to worry if the bill is a little larger than I expected. I’m grateful for that.

The young man I mentioned earlier is not the only person I see regularly at the supermarket. I don’t know their names, but there are quite a few people I have seen often enough to pass the time of day. A friend of my daughter works there, so I say hello to her and ask her how she is. The mother of my other daughter’s school friend works there, and – if she has time – we will have a brief conversation about how our children are doing. Those human interactions affect my mood positively.

We can have big celebrations; we can have wonderful holidays; we can fall in love and have our hearts sing, but it’s the little everyday things that make us happy.

In short, there’s a lot to be grateful for as we go shopping. Grocery shopping is a good as it gets.

When I got home, however, I was told off by my daughter for having forgotten the chocolate spread. Oh well, one can’t have everything.

Mary

A Moodscope member