More People Watching

Today I am grateful for safe travels and some enjoyable time away last week. I am also grateful for recovery from alcoholism, a day at a time.

I appreciate the break from blogging because it gives me some perspective on the writing process and the time commitment it is. The time away also typically gives me several ideas for posts when I return. This time was no different.

We spent some time in different communities, on a couple university campuses, and in a variety of eating establishments. All of these provided opportunities for some people watching.

Here were some of my random thoughts as I observed:

*The stories behind the faces are all unique and deserve to be honored and heard. Let's honor each other with our attention and our compassion.

*There are common and universal human expressions, but a great variety of facial features to reflect similar emotions. Another reason to pay attention.

*It is fairly evident when a couple clearly knows each other versus a couple just getting to know each other. Body language, proximity, and the way the two are interacting give away their level of comfort, or lack of, with one another.

*Technology can be a block or wall, but also a way to bring people together. I still prefer face to face communication and being in the same room as the people I am connecting with when possible.

*Smiles-talk about a universal expression-serve as builders and a show of human dignity.
Share some today. 

*Watch someone who is trying to sell something compared to someone who is trying to buy something. It is an interesting dynamic.

*No matter where you are, it is often easy to tell the locals apart from the visitors.

*Another common human ground-the joy in kids playing on a playground.  It is so simple and real.
Let's hang on to that joy as we age. The playgrounds may change, but the joy can still be deep.

*When people watching, if we choose to look for similarities we will find them. And they will be  more unifying than divisive. Our world could use some unifying.

I wrote from a little different observation point in this People Watching post from August of 2014.

Today for me, people watching means being aware of others and contributing to our shared humanity and doing my best to avoid contaminating it.