I Confess: Amazon Is My Friend

I freely confess that I use Amazon all the time.

This originates almost entirely from the fact that my medical challenges over the past three years have made shopping alone in actual stores very difficult if not impossible. I shop almost exclusively online now, and that means most frequently Amazon. I also have Amazon Prime, which means that I sometimes can receive my order in a day with free shipping. (That is insane.)

Amazon offers a mind-boggling array of products which you can receive through astonishingly fast delivery. I frequently feel like I have waved a magic wand and suddenly my wishes have come true. We recently needed to buy a large, low, furniture-quality television cabinet. Looking at the many furniture stores in the South Bend area would not work for me. (I am having mobility issues and can barely walk from room to room in my house.) My husband loses interest rapidly when he has to shop in any kind of store. Where could I get this much-needed piece of furniture? Amazon. The merchandise search gave me a staggering number of pieces from which to choose. It took me a bit of time to find something that I thought would work. We checked the dimensions of the cabinet, my husband measured the space where it would be placed, and we ordered it. Delivery time? Two days. Granted, my husband had to wrestle the box inside by himself, but truly it felt like magic to go from an on-line search to the delivered package in two days. Fortunately, because I never assume that these things will arrive in perfect condition, this one did and I'm very pleased.

I did all of my Christmas shopping on-line, primarily from Amazon. I use Amazon wishlists all the time to order for my children and grandchildren, because I just can't physically go shopping. Amazon fits my re-organized life to a T.

I often feel guilty about how easily I turn to Amazon. Just yesterday I received a package containing a 4 oz. tube of arnica. This homeopathic salve will bring some relief for my aching knees. It's available in stores such as Walgreen's and CVS. But my husband wasn't able to go shopping for me just then and I really wanted the arnica AND I could get it in one day from Amazon.

This is how low I have sunk, and something I wouldn't have done three years ago.

I am looking forward longingly to my return to actual shopping in local stores. I always try to patronize independent businesses and find local specialties to buy. I am eager to have the physical health to walk leisurely through shops and let items catch my eye. I am even anticipating going to the grocery store again!

Now I feel better having confessed to my faults and explained how eager I am to return to physically support bricks-and-mortar stores. As soon as I regain my shopping independence, I will be back enjoying that freedom again. So please pardon me if you receive a gift that comes from Amazon and is wrapped in their wrapping paper. One day you'll get your gift hand-picked in person by me and wrapped beautifully by me as well.

It's just that, in the meantime, Amazon is my friend.