Parking Space Karma

In Oregon it is state law to have gas station attendants fill the car’s gas tank. Today, the attendants were surrounded by a cloud of their breath in the bitter, cold, subzero weather. As I waited for them to fill my tank, I was trying not to be impatient, especially since I got to hang out inside my comfortable, warm car.

After getting gas, I drove into the grocery store parking lot. The piles of snow made navigating up and down the narrow lanes difficult. It was Senior Tuesday and almost every parking spot was filled. As cars circled the lot most of them were vying for the parking spaces close to the entry door. I was no different.

Finally, I spotted someone getting into their car. It was convenient, just a few steps from the front door and had lots of room because it was beside the blue designated disabled spots. The icy snow appeared to make it tricky to maneuver back and forth from their shopping cart to the car. I watched as the person carefully unloaded their groceries, one bag at a time, into the back seat. Finally they put their car in reverse and I motioned for them to come on back.

As they were backing out, I noticed a woman in a small blue sedan driving toward me. Her head turned towards my parking spot. I was aimed in the correct direction for the angled space so I knew she probably wouldn’t be able to pull in front of me. I started inching forward and I noticed the sun reflecting off of a disabled parking permit hanging from her rearview mirror. My first thought was that I had waited long enough and did not want to wait for another spot that would probably be a much further walk in the cold. But then I remembered watching this video and I knew the right thing for me to do.

Today’s gift was to give the woman in the small blue sedan the parking place near the door. I motioned for her to take the spot. While waiting for another space to open up, I turned my head and watched her slowly get out of her car and shuffle into the store. Then a space opened up just two spots away from my original place. Maybe that’s how karma works—giving something away returns untold blessings.

In Giving,

Robin