Tag: convenience

Posted in shopping

One hour delivery

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Isaac Quesada on Unsplash

It’s one-day-old news, but Amazon now offering one-hour delivery on some items in larger cities. That’s fast. In fact, that’s amazing. They have the data to know what to warehouse because that’s what people want and need really, really quickly. For just a few extra bucks.

Like what? What do I imagine myself ordering that I need right away?

  • Maybe I’m cooking for a crowd and I need an ingredient. I used to go across the street to a neighbor’s house for some sugar, baking soda, or garlic powder. Now an independent driver will speed to the house while I’m in the middle of preparing a meal.
  • If I’ve got a couple of little ones in diapers, I won’t have to pack up the kids and run to the store for diapers or wipes. They’ll be here in a couple of minutes.
  • Wouldn’t you love to have someone bring you some pain reliever for your splitting headache instead of having to go out on a cold, rainy day?
  • Instead of that third or fourth trip to the hardware store to finish up that home repair project, someone would bring you the parts you need.
  • What about that time you sat down in the bathroom before you noticed the roll was down to the last sheet?

Remember the early days of Federal Express, when “it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight”? Now we take that for granted. In fact, isn’t it irritating when you can’t get something the next day?

Posted in Life

He drove past three just for iced tea

Posted on by William Douthwaite

So, you know everyone loves Chick-fil-A. I’ve met people who claim to eat there every day. Many who bemoan the fact that they are closed on Sundays. Plenty of folks love the chicken sandwich. Others really like the coffee. Some are fans of the sweet tea.

A few weeks ago, a friend shared with me that he drove past three Chick-fil-A’s to get to the one who had the best sweet iced tea. Hmm. I had no idea. I assumed that the menu, food and drinks were consistent from restaurant to restaurant. The few times I search for fast food, I go to the nearest one. Okay, one might like the fries at one place better than another. But come on, iced tea? How many variations could there be?

I’m just not that sophisticated. What kind of wine do you like? Red. What kind of coffee do you prefer? Black. Beer? Yes, please.

That’s the world we live in. I will got way out of my way to satisfy my personal taste. A family might drive past dozens of churches to attend one that they connect with. In Dallas, TX, where Tex-Mex food abounds, everyone has their favorite that is worth the drive. I can save a few bucks at that grocery store, even it it is farther away from my home.

For what else do we go far, far out of our way? I’ll go out of my way to eat at a restaurant I have a gift card for. I drive further to the airport where I get a lower priced flight. I’ve driven on back roads to avoid traffic or for a more scenic drive. I’ve taken longer routes to avoid toll roads.

As much as we enjoy convenience, we’ll go out of our way to get what we want, crave, or prefer, won’t we?

Posted in death

Death just isn’t convenient.

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I was talking to the last few people to leave church yesterday when a friend told me, “I had a question posed to me. Someone asked, ‘Why did you schedule ______’s memorial service for a Thursday?'”

“Well,” I said, “First of all, just about everyone he knew is retired, so I didn’t think it really mattered which day I picked. Plus the only family he has, his neices, will be in town that week, and I wanted to include them if possible.”

And then I added, “Death just isn’t convenient, is it?” We both just smiled.

That afternoon I pondered the wisdom and truth of my words. Death isn’t convenient. It always interrupts our schedules, routines and habits. Suddenly, we have to deal with funerals and memorial services, funeral homes and cemeteries, death certificates and insurance policies, family and friends, emotions and feelings. And none of it was on your calendar.

Death is never on my calendar. Neither my own nor anyone else’s. It’s funny. You know it’s coming. But you don’t know when. So for the most part, you never expect it to happen. You live as if you and everyone else were immortal. And then just like that, you are proved wrong. Death happens.

When a member dies, they immediately get a spot on my calendar for their funeral or memorial. Family gets slots on my schedule for visits. All kinds of folks flex their schdules or ask for time off to gather for a service.

Because death just isn’t convenient.