Whether we want to admit it or not, many of us have gone shopping and been faced with the same frightening, and perhaps, embarrassing dilemma. You enter the parking lot with a handful of packages or a cartload of groceries and suddenly ask yourself the all-important question – Where did I park?

You have that “deer in the headlights” look because all you can see is an ocean of vehicles in front of you. As you quickly go up and down each aisle, you feel that all eyes are watching you. I always try to look as inconspicuous as I can so it’s not so obvious that I can’t remember that important detail.

Unless I consciously think about it and look at the aisle number, ingrain it in my mind or, better yet, write it down, I will be out of luck at the end of my shopping adventure.

There have been times when I have circled the lot several times before being successful. Once, I even ran into another poor soul who was also searching for her vehicle.

Then there’s the problem of when you are driving a different car than you normally do and don’t remember until after you have wandered around for about 15 minutes.

I am reminded of one of my favorite “Seinfeld” episodes when Jerry and the gang were lost in a parking garage. Being unable to remember what level you left your vehicle on is even worse than being lost in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

This actually happened to my sister Theresa, my mom and I when we went to Argosy Casino a few years ago. We spent an enjoyable afternoon together and then it was time to leave, and we couldn’t remember which level we had parked on. Actually, we couldn’t agree on where we had parked.

All three of us immediately realized there is a reason why floor numbers and sections are posted all over the area.

We stopped on one floor, looked around and then went to the next one. Finally, after walking what seemed like miles, we located our ride. Now I never forget to check what floor or section we are in.

I have discovered some options to help with the memory lapse. Kermit the Frog on a skateboard is a permanent fixture on my antenna so I can at least recognize my car in a sea of similarly-colored vehicles.

In order to avoid some frustration, I have seen some people use the panic button on their key chain like a homing device to determine where they have parked.

So the next time you see someone wandering around the parking lot aimlessly, don’t make fun of them because you could be in the same position some day.