What You Don't See
Have you ever just looked at other people; something akin to noticing what they don't realize others actually see? Now, I'm not talking about unhealthy observations here - that is just creepy, but observation in general, due to the utter fascination with the other bipedal inhabitants of this crazy sod? Alright, if you won't come out and admit it then by all means, I will. There I was today, in the middle of my non-routine, routine. Ah, yes, I must preface this all with the fact I had a vacation day which afforded me the opportunity to, well, observe my fellow man.
I went to the corner gas station this morning, which is something I do every day to get my daily dose of diet Pepsi from the fountain, and thus my day begun. As I approached the light there was a kid, no more than 18 skating away on his skateboard. He was really into it too, doing tricks and jumps and skating back and forth on the side street in some semblance of an organized frenzy, but in all of that activity not really obtaining any real end result. I wonder if this kid has goals and dreams, if he finished high school, if he has a job, or if he, like so many others was looked over by his parents as they strove to live their lives for themselves instead of enriching his. Then there was the pony-tail guy at the check out counter who I could smell from the soda fountain. It wasn't one of those, I live outside smells, it was one of those, I'm too lazy to focus on hygiene smells. Now, don't get me wrong there could be a reason for which I have no clue, but that is what comes from watching, you get the perception view of it all, not the fact behind it. Now pony-tail, bought himself three packs of Pall-Mall, which he argued with the cashier over the cost all the while using his state unemployment card to pay for them then sauntered out the door spouting off about needing to quit soon. Made me wonder, if that unemployment money, that the fine citizens of this great state are helping to provide, could have been used in a different way. Then I remembered that there are those who fight their internal wars with external weapons, it appears his weapon of choice was a cigarette. Next was the young couple who were holding hands and taking a leisurely stroll down the isles at Walmart as I was grocery shopping. She in what could only be described as pajamas, flannel cartoon character bottoms and skin tight spaghetti strap tank which kindly shared every bit of her voluptuous self to all who gathered to take a look, and he in his jeans and winter coat. Seems to me if he were any sort of a gentleman he would have offered her his coat to ward off the stares and the cold she was exposing herself to by being out and about in only that get-up. However, this young couple was a good reminder to me that not everyone knows what good self esteem is. For instance, this young girl probably believes that dressing in such a way is how her beau will recognize her, but she was so blind to what she wants from him, the attention, to notice that in all of it he wasn't giving her any at all. I wanted to reach out to her and let her know that she is worth so much more. We are all worth so much more.
I made many additional observations today, but in all of my looking I realized I am the one who learned today. The lesson? We live in a broken world. A world that drives us to focus on ourselves and forget the lives of others, a world that says it is OK to fight your internal battles with external weapons, and a world that devalues a girl/woman to the point she has to bare all to find something/someone that isn't even looking for her. I wonder about those who look this way, are they really seeing it like it is?
I went to the corner gas station this morning, which is something I do every day to get my daily dose of diet Pepsi from the fountain, and thus my day begun. As I approached the light there was a kid, no more than 18 skating away on his skateboard. He was really into it too, doing tricks and jumps and skating back and forth on the side street in some semblance of an organized frenzy, but in all of that activity not really obtaining any real end result. I wonder if this kid has goals and dreams, if he finished high school, if he has a job, or if he, like so many others was looked over by his parents as they strove to live their lives for themselves instead of enriching his. Then there was the pony-tail guy at the check out counter who I could smell from the soda fountain. It wasn't one of those, I live outside smells, it was one of those, I'm too lazy to focus on hygiene smells. Now, don't get me wrong there could be a reason for which I have no clue, but that is what comes from watching, you get the perception view of it all, not the fact behind it. Now pony-tail, bought himself three packs of Pall-Mall, which he argued with the cashier over the cost all the while using his state unemployment card to pay for them then sauntered out the door spouting off about needing to quit soon. Made me wonder, if that unemployment money, that the fine citizens of this great state are helping to provide, could have been used in a different way. Then I remembered that there are those who fight their internal wars with external weapons, it appears his weapon of choice was a cigarette. Next was the young couple who were holding hands and taking a leisurely stroll down the isles at Walmart as I was grocery shopping. She in what could only be described as pajamas, flannel cartoon character bottoms and skin tight spaghetti strap tank which kindly shared every bit of her voluptuous self to all who gathered to take a look, and he in his jeans and winter coat. Seems to me if he were any sort of a gentleman he would have offered her his coat to ward off the stares and the cold she was exposing herself to by being out and about in only that get-up. However, this young couple was a good reminder to me that not everyone knows what good self esteem is. For instance, this young girl probably believes that dressing in such a way is how her beau will recognize her, but she was so blind to what she wants from him, the attention, to notice that in all of it he wasn't giving her any at all. I wanted to reach out to her and let her know that she is worth so much more. We are all worth so much more.
I made many additional observations today, but in all of my looking I realized I am the one who learned today. The lesson? We live in a broken world. A world that drives us to focus on ourselves and forget the lives of others, a world that says it is OK to fight your internal battles with external weapons, and a world that devalues a girl/woman to the point she has to bare all to find something/someone that isn't even looking for her. I wonder about those who look this way, are they really seeing it like it is?
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