Butch Needs Some TP!
I met a man named Butch today at Hy-Vee. He was leaning against a shelf that used to hold thousands of rolls of toilet paper. He didn't have a cart or basket, he wasn't looking at anything in particular, he just looked bored. I had seen in in the same position a few minutes earlier, so as I passed him, I asked, "Do you know something I don't?" He smiled and said someone told him that they were going to deliver a truck of toilet paper between 10am and 2pm. It was noon. I remarked on his dedication, to which he said. "I only have 4 squares left at home; I don't really have a choice." We visited for a few moments, I wanted to make sure he was OK, and he was. He just needed a basic hygiene product that no one in this country would have given a second thought to a few weeks ago. Now, he had to go to excessive lengths to get it. "It's just crazy!" he said "There's not a real shortage of toilet paper, except that people made one by panicking!"
What?! Has Facebook lied to us? Does not ALL toilet paper come from China? Has the supply chain not been disrupted to the extent that we will be all reduced to eating only beets and kidney beans and wiping our bottoms with corn cobs?! I had my suspicions, but now I was ready to do some research, for my own peace of mind, hopefully yours as well.
I read a lot of articles and went to a lot of websites for the manufactures of TP and discovered something wonderful. Turns out we make a lot of TP right here in the US, in fact, the vast majority of TP used in the US is manufactured in the US. See the links below, in case you want to see for yourself.
But now it’s not just TP. Different shelves are emptying out, like pasta, canned veggies, meat and dairy. Weird thing is it isn’t always the same products at every store. I went to six stores yesterday in search of some basics as well as difficult items, frozen corn and aloe vera gel. I started to take note of what was plentiful in one store but completely gone in the next. Oddly enough, if the store put a rationing sign on any product, it was gone. “Limit 4 gallons of milk per customer” at Aldi, and there was no milk in the cooler. Every other store I went to had milk… weird, right? They need to put up a “Limit 6 cans of kidney beans” sign and get rid of some of those. (Honestly, why is that the only veggie left?)
How did this happen? As everyone keeps saying, these are unprecedented times and it seems to have escalated quickly. A lot has changed in the past few weeks: COVID-19 was categorized pandemic, in our minds, it is up there with the Bubonic Plague; we have to treat every stranger and friend as though they are diseased; schools, churches, and businesses are closed; people are losing income, some even their jobs; heck, even the NBA has shut down for the first time since Space Jam! You can’t even escape to the happiest place on earth, because Disney World is closed.
We must remember why all of these drastic measures are being taken. It is to slow down the spread of the virus; to help hospitals have enough beds to treat all sorts of malady, to protect everyone. So, if we care about everyone, why are we only thinking of ourselves… i.e.: panic buying? This scarcity mentality leads to not only you being miserable and alone, surrounded by more toilet paper than you will ever be able to use in your lifetime, but it makes society all the poorer as well.
“Scarcity mentality, whether it’s business, money, love, or toilet paper, will lead you to self-destruction and break down all your relationships.”
Be Reasonably Sensible! Do buy enough groceries to feed your family for a couple of weeks, should you not be able to get out. DON’T BUY ALL OF THE GROCERIES. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that hoarding is not good. Who knows where this could lead? Your house will end up looking pretty gross, and you won’t want to have friends over when the quarantine is lifted. I’ve been in hoarder houses, they are depressing. No one is happy there, not even the hoarder.
So how do we stop panic shopping? Unfortunately, it starts with just you and me. It’s scary, I am fighting everything inside of me to not go full-on Survivalist. It is ingrained in us as women, particularly, to hunt and gather food for our family. Nothing gives us more anxiety than to not be able to feed people we love. We must remember, this is a knee-jerk reaction that has triggered more over-reaction in the consumer world. When we forget, we must gently remind one another. We have to trust that supply and demand will once again be leveled out, until then, you and your loved ones are safe.
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. – 2 Tim 1:7
Reasonable Advice: (replace TP with whatever product is currently being panic-purchased)
1. Have faith and talk to God about it. Pray for that peace that surpasses all understanding. God sees you; He knows this is tough. He is more than able to get you through this.
2. Talk to people you trust. Don’t let this swirl around in your head too much, it will only grow. Verbally process it, journal, blog, laugh or cry, whatever makes you feel better.
3. If you have a couple packages of TP at home, don’t buy more.
4. If you have twenty packages of TP at home, ask your friends if they are short. If so, give them some. As Elsa said, “Let it go…” That wall of TP in your guest room is just a constant reminder that you are afraid.
5. If you need TP and can’t find it, ask your friends if they have some to spare. This will give you and them an opportunity to be real community.
6. Realize that you might have to change from some of your favorite brands for a time. Some products are not going to be imported for a while. You may really love a specific cheese that comes from France, it’s OK, it will come back eventually. For now, you may have to eat a domestic cheese, but you will have cheese.
7. Check in with your friends and neighbors. If someone needs something and you see it, buy one for them. (resist the urge to buy ten). Keep in touch with the elderly and people with small children and babies. They are more vulnerable and may need a little support during this time. Ask them how they are faring. This is stressful on them too. Getting outside of yourself is good for you and them.
8. Smile and Be kind. I know that sounds simple, but people are social creatures and take cues from those around them, even strangers. If they see someone panic, they are triggered to panic. Be the calm in the storm, give them reason to feel at peace.
9. Look at your Social Media feed. Are you spreading stress or are you spreading peace? Make adjustments if needed.
10. Remember, we are mostly afraid of the unknown. Trust that God is in control. We will get through this.
Some links that may make you feel better:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/business/toilet-paper-shortage.html
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/09/health/toilet-paper-shortages-novel-coronavirus-trnd/index.html
https://www.gp.com/news/2020/03/statement-on-georgia-pacifics-response-to-covid-19
https://www.cottonelle.com/en-us/
http://www.toiletpapertissue.com/bathroom-commercial-toilet-papers.html