Decisions, Decisions: A Black Friday Story

By Elizabeth Yeter

I wasn’t going to do it. I was gonna stay home, fold some laundry, and avoid the madness. But ad after ad popped up on my phone, and I felt my resolve to stay away weaken. So I joined the line of cars fighting to find a space in the mall parking lot. And, after a half hour of circling, finally stalked a young couple to their vehicle and slid myself into their spot as they pulled out.

Overwhelming. That’s how it felt. Lines snaking through the stores, shoppers elbow-to-elbow as they sifted through piles of clothes, children crying from the fatigue of being up since o’dark thirty with their bargain-hunter parents. I’m not agoraphobic, but this was bordering on masochistic.

But I was here, and dammit I was gonna buy something.

So I ducked into a relatively calm shoe store that seemed to be pleasantly overstaffed. A smiling teenage employee greeted me immediately on entering and told me about their Black Friday specials. “Fifty percent off anything on this wall,” she said, gesturing to the entire left side of the store. Ok, everybody’s gotta wear shoes, I thought. I can find something here.

Too strappy. Too chunky. Too red. Most of the sale shoes were not only unattractive, but also inappropriate for the snowy winter looming in the immediate future. Oh well, onward I go, I thought, ready to leave the relative quiet of this store and reengage the hordes of the mall. I felt like a soldier in a foxhole preparing to jump out and charge at the enemy. A bit dramatic? Certainly.

But then I spotted them. Slender heel, sandal, snakeskin. Not my style at all, and not something I could wear for another four months, and yet they called to me. I’m more of a plain footwear kind of girl. My shoes accent the outfit, but they’re not the star. If the display model is in my size, then I’ll try it on, I thought. Size seven. It’s a sign. I pulled off my boot and sock.

“That shoe looks amazing on you,” the teenage salesgirl quipped from behind me. I’m not good at taking compliments, but she was right. “Let me get you the match,” she said, scooting off to the back of the store.

She returned with two boxes. “You have to see these too,” she beamed. I opened the second box. Slender heel, sandal, snakeskin. It looked just like the one on my foot. “Is this the same shoe?” I asked. “Not even close!” she replied emphatically. “It’s about an inch taller and it’s white snakeskin. The one on your foot is rose.” I looked down. She was right. “That one you’re gonna wear with your browns and beiges while this one is for your blacks and whites.”

Confession. My fashion sense is in its infancy. About a year ago, my daughter remarked that it looked like I was wearing pajamas every day. And while they weren’t nightclothes, I could see where she was coming from. I’ve made improvements since then for sure, but I wasn’t on the level of this seventeen year old salesgirl.

I liked them both, but I had to make a choice. Which shoe would I wear more? Was one more comfortable than the other? Slightly. But did that matter?

In all our decisions, we have to weigh several factors. We may make a pros and cons list, seek guidance from friends, or stand on previous experiences. But often it comes down to intuition. Beige, black, rose, white. Taking into consideration all the knowledge I have about myself and the world around me, which one feels right?

And we can be influenced by the people in our lives. Fashion-conscious salesgirls, conservative relatives, daughters, frenemies. Everyone has an opinion. But in the end, it’s my decision. I am the one who will be most affected by it, the one who has to live with the consequences, be they positive or negative.

So I went with my gut. And this time, my gut defaulted. And as I placed both boxes of shoes on the counter, I laughed about all the decisions that led me to that moment.

To avoid the stress of the day, it might have been a good idea to shut my phone off and ignore the Black Friday advertisements. I kept it on. I probably should have turned my car around when I saw the line just to get into the parking lot. I didn’t. Once inside the mall, I could have left as soon as the throng of people pushing me forward thinned. I stayed.

Every day presents us with opportunities for decision making. In fact, every day demands it. Little ones, big ones. What should I eat for lunch? Should I leave my comfortable job for a riskier opportunity? Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all the choices I have to make. I want to take the path of least resistance. What does that look like? Lay in bed. Eat cereal and milk. Play Candy Crush on my phone.

When I do that, I focus on the pressure of decision-making, but I forget the joy of knowing that each day holds endless possibilities. If I want to live my best life, I have to be willing to choose options that take me out of my comfort zone. And while staying at home in bed isn’t a waste of time (everybody’s gotta recharge sometimes), it can’t always be my default decision. Sometimes I have to brave the crowds, take a chance, feel some stress, and keep stepping forward. And now I’ve got two new pairs of sexy heels to do it in.

Have you been hemming and hawing over a tough decision? Or perhaps taking the path of least resistance a little more than you know is healthy? I challenge you to open your mind to the potential today holds for you. Lace up your boots, or maybe those strappy snakeskin sandals, and take a step into the unknown.