People watching

Ever gone somewhere and just "watched" people? There's a great experience to be had in being a spectator of life. The other day I was on my walk and really took time to look at the people around me. Usually, I walk a pretty fast pace (to get mycirculation going) while saying "hello" to everyone that walks past. I like to be friendly - to acknowledge people by sharing a smile. But the other day was different. I saw a real variety of people and couldn't help but wonder what was going on in their worlds.

I guess that this all many started years back as I experienced a lot of life's difficulties and challenges. The death of my father due to a brain tumor, miscarriages, a premature son, a car accident, depression, several surgeries, the tragic loss of my brother-in-law, the death of my mother, my travels to the slums of Ethiopia. There are more - but that's enough to list for now. Now, I'm not claiming to have suffered hardships more than anyone else, I'm just keenly aware that my pain and circumstances have alerted me to the reality of others' lives. So, when I took that walk that day, I looked at everyone with a very different lens. Every day I'm being intentional about noticing everything that God puts in my path - whether it be on a walk or just through the course of my day.

What about the woman with the limp? She walked slowly, carefully and very sullenly? What burdens was she carrying that day? what about the old man with the dog? Was he a widower? Was he lonely? What about the young pregnant woman pushing a stroller with her toddler in it? Was she coping ok? And then there was the older couple....hand in hand. Their affection for each other was so obvious, such a breath of joy. It made me smile. What about the 2 older women that I see regularly taking their walk? They look like good friends. Ah, the joy of our friends. Even when we can't take a walk with our friends in the park, do we journey well with them through life? I know what you're thinking....that's alot to think about on a walk! I'm not saying that our walks should be like case studies. I just think that it's worth making time to step out of ourselves a little by noticing others. It's a great habit to get into. Just notice and let you heart direct your next steps. Is there a lesson for you in what you see? Does what you see remind you of someone in a certain situation? Hey, maybe its even you!

Love, compassion, understanding, lessons to be learned....there's alot to be gained when you really take a close look around you. Never get so busy or pre-occupied that you don't take the time to be a spectator of life. There's more wisdom there than meets the eye.