Lisa M. Cottrell Bentley

> If it costs you $120 it's over and done and that's about what just the
first
> visit with a counselor would cost. And if it makes any difference and
gives
> you happy shared experiences, that's WAY more than most first visits with
> counsellors do. And counsellors usually want you to come back over and
over and
> over! <g>

I've been a little stressed lately. Nothing to do with the kids
(thankfully), just myself getting overwhelmed at the number of things that I
want to accomplish... Anyway, my husband insisted that we go out to eat
last Saturday at a grand reopening of a vegetarian restaurant here in town.
He knows that going out to eat is one of my greatest joys.

While we were looking at the menu, I noticed that they had vegan chocolate
shakes. I am a vegan and we've mastered vegan chocolate shakes at home, but
I've never had one out and about (I'd never seen them at a restaurant
before). So, here I was completely stressed, trying really hard to relax
and enjoy my wonderful family and I couldn't get myself to spend $4.25 on a
shake because I could make a bigger one at home for less money. DH,
appropriately said, "It's $4.25, a massage is $60 and a psychologist visit
is how much? $100, $200? Order the shake." I did, it was wonderful and I
was able to calm down and relax for the entire meal and a while after that.
Totally worth $4.25.

Sometimes "retail therapy" costs a lot less than we would think, because it
is therapuetic to the soul.

-Lisa in AZ