There’s a fine line between preparedness and obsession or panic. And yes, the pun in the title is intentional. Remember the panic rush on toilet paper? Stores could not keep up with demand and the purchase lines of panic stretched out forever. People grabbing whatever paper product they could for themselves and other family members (both locally and globally). While supporting a local egg farmer, I met Enrique, a retired man who brought common sense back into light regarding this personal hygiene panic. As we got to know each other in line, he threw out the question, “Why don’t people just use the shower for everything at one time? It saves on time and water, even if it seems gross. This will take care of this toilet paper panic. That’s what we did when I grew up. People have lost their minds.”
Well Enrique, I will agree that we are experiencing a bit of mass hysteria that has clouded the minds of the masses to the point that they will blindly accept and jump on board of just about any direction offered to them, including the panic train. But, back to the toilet paper. I must confess, I too succumbed to the insatiable desire to stock up on toilet paper. Not because of my affinity to possess it but because I found it increasingly difficult to trust others. The Toilet Paper Panic of 2020 taught me that I needed to work hard on finding the good in others and explore how I was going to rebuild trust with those who would as soon as shove their way past you to get what they “deserve”, even if that means running you over.
I discovered that not only had I become “obsessed” with toilet paper and the need to know I had enough, but I also compromised on my outlook in life of putting others first. “For the sake of my family” I kept telling myself. Unfortunately, while a majority of people have not escaped the blanket of deception that was draped over all of us in 2020, I have successfully escaped the bondage of TP Hoarding with the help of friends and family.
If I am to grow more from this experience, I must look back, evaluate and set healthy goals for moving forward with my life in such a way that benefits me AND those around me. As I try my best to model this through my daily life activities, I am still concerned that others (and perhaps even myself) might snap right back into the selfish hoarding mode when, not if, the next “crisis” presents itself. I truly hope that people try to learn from history (a dying art I might add) and make healthy choices that benefit others and not cancel or redefine situations that they disagree with just so that they move ahead at the expense of others.