I am in the grocery store several times a week, usually to pick up those few extra things that we realize we are out of. While I love my food (!), I think I enjoy just as much seeing all the people there.
Recently, I turned down an aisle, and there was a father and son (presumably) having a lively discussion in Spanish and English over which spices they needed for whatever dish they were cooking. I don’t remember what they ingredients were, but they were not the same ones I was looking for.
Down by the bakery, I came up behind two women who were puzzling over what they might purchase for dessert that afternoon. I saw what I was after, and I quickly took it and placed it in my buggy. They were trying to decide on some sort of cake–not the item I was there for.
Over in the center of the store, I approached a mom and two children. I could tell by the look on her face that she knew what she needed from the canned good aisle while the two children were all a buzz about something on the cookie aisle. I passed them by, picked up the canned good I needed–not the same as what she needed–and moved on.
I could go on. There were dozens, maybe hundreds, of us there. We were not there for exactly the same items. We each had our list, specific to our needs, wants, plans, customs, diets, and budgets. But, we were also there for some common reasons: to gather necessary items for our meals; to find a food with which to celebrate something; to take care of ourselves and our loves; to do the best we can with the resources we have.
The grocery store may be the most common exercise of pluralism that we engage in on a regular basis.
~Bob Patrick
Just thinking, The huge grocery store chains should incorporate “Pluralism” in its branding. The corporation uses the diversity of its’ Clientele to advertise its multicultural food ingredients, Recipes, and customs and high light the cultural holidays’ for each group. ( I’m sure this is not an original idea) but what better way to see “us” besides the foods we eat ?