Now it's your turn

I find myself taking notice more these days as an observationist of sorts, paying attention to people going about here and there doing this and that in their lives.  And in my observations, I’ve learned how I take great delight in so doing. 

I’ve always been one who enjoys the great American pastime of people-watching.  It’s good entertainment and, more likely than not, there’s always something to learn; sometimes big lessons and other times a little one.

Like observing the young mother with her little infant child in a stroller as she does her shopping in a grocery store, sporting the happiest face you can imagine and totally immersed in motherhood.  What an honorable profession is motherhood. 

Or observing the young father and his young son, both sporting baseball caps walking at a brisk pace together as a big jock and little jock duo.  Like the young mother, I enjoy taking notice of the look in the young father’s eyes who is totally enjoying fatherhood in the moment with his “best bud” little son. There’s nothing else he’d rather be doing.  Like motherhood, fatherhood is the other honorable profession.

Or the young man eligible bachelor all dressed for success out in public trying to look good and available and, perhaps having his “mating-call horn” in a locked, loaded and ready position when an opportunity strikes.

Or the young soldier or sailor in uniform going about in public ever so proud of serving their country.

Or the young college student buried in study in a coffee shop, far removed from the world everyone else is in, like a sponge absorbing a sea of knowledge for a hopefully wonderful professional career in a blue-sky future that’s still a safe distance away from the moment’s reality.

I take delight in all these observations and more, and am always on the look for new observation delights.  They give me a free opportunity to escape from the toils of my present and vicariously live through my observation subjects.

And it seems that, more likely than not, I find myself whispering in a very reflective state of joyous being, ever so happy for them this simple message: “I had my turn and now it’s your turn.”

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum