We decided to make an unplanned trip to the grocery store last Thursday and though we'd heard there was a run on TP, everything we wanted or needed was there. It was kind of odd to see the paper products and cleaning supply shelves low but if you looked, you could find the products that weren't as popular but worked just as well.

And we were flabbergasted - so we posted a "we are flabbergasted by this" photo to social media. Since Thursday, the bare shelves phenomenon has exponentially increased. Now, everything from baby formula to tampons to food essentials are wiped out and stores are hiring more temporary employees to just help restock shelves overnight. And the photos of the bare shelves have continued. But what does this do? It causes panic which causes the next set of shoppers to rush in and grab more than they need for a couple of weeks because of fear that they might face that empty shelf for months to come. But, you probably won't. There's plenty of food in the country - stores are just having a hard time shipping it and restocking it quickly enough to keep up with demand. And even in a lockdown situation like San Francisco and Italy, grocery stores, pharmacies, and doctor's offices remain open.

So, BREATHE.

Now, I get that the bare shelf pictures are not the ONLY thing causing the panic but we are all in this together so we all need to do our part to get thru it together. So, at the very least, stop posting photos of bare shelves. Seems harmless and I was right there with you when I went but it can cause real anxiety. So resist the urge. That's easy. Here's the hard part - if you are out and see an abundance of something essential or a store that has stock shelves, remind our neighbors that it's all okay and here's where they can find their supplies along with a clear date and time. Traveling to seven different stores with a baby to find baby formula isn't fun. Help a mama out. Help a dad out. Help an older person out. Help each other out.

#postthepositive

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