In praise of automatic doors...

The other day I left the grocery store in the rain...Actually, this could have been any day, and likely all the days that I have gone to the grocery store this year...and all the more reason for this post.

I had a cart, albeit the small one, loaded with bags, my purse on my shoulder and another bag on my other wrist...Oh, how I loved it that the door automatically opened for me!! Such a pleasure! Such a help!

For some reason, that day it brought to mind nightmarish scenes of holding on to two toddlers, a stroller containing an infant, and hands full of purse, diaper bag and purchases while trying to get in, or out, of a door...

Those were the days.

And during those days, we sometimes did without rather than shop at stores without automatic doors.

And since those days, I have never lost an appreciation for automatic doors. I use them whenever I can! They are an unappreciated luxury...To walk out of the store, cart full, hands full and have the door open widely before you to walk outside with out impediment? Luxury, I say, LUX-UR-Y!!!

I just the love the feeling that the doors part before me, and I play a little game sometimes to see if I am faster than the doors...You know, see if I have to wait for them. And then, to make my joy complete, I head out to the car my hubby bought me, which has{drum roll} AUTOMATIC DOORS!! A push of the buttons and they open before me. I'm getting really good at timing it so that I don't even break stride, just walk right up, put my packages in and get in to drive away...

It's AWESOME!

I have noticed some stores in The Big City have a set of auto doors, and a set of manual doors...And quite a few people choose the manual doors. Why?

I get the funny feeling that they believe that shouldn't use the auto door...And that's because...uh...they are going green and refuse to use more energy? Uh...they are trying to get more exercise? Uh...it's only for people in wheelchairs, scooters, or for strollers?

Far be it from me to get between a scooter chair and the automatic door...I would NEVER do that! But for the love of all things efficient, why WOULDN'T you use the hands-free door?? Talk about saving energy! You can be getting out your list, putting away your keys, texting your friend while you enter the store, never breaking stride!!!

I repeat: It's AWESOME!

And so today, I salute the under-appreciated Automatic Door...Don't take these luxuries for granted. Take time to enjoy it the next time you use one.

Amen.