Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Musings of a People Watcher

It's Tuesday....it feels like it should be Thursday. I'm in the sub of my college, hiding in a booth and trying to focus on homework due in just a few hours. But, honestly, People watching is much more enlightening. I wonder what I would say to them.....

To the girl in the denim skirt and ankle boots....you are gorgeous. You are very fit, very well dressed, and you carry Coach. Your makeup is flawless, your blonde hair is perfectly straight with no flyaway strands, and I'm pretty sure your teeth are the whitest I have ever seen. But I wonder, do you ever take a day to wear sweats? Do you ever show up to class with your hair in a rough ponytail and collapse thinking you should have showered before you came? It's ok to have days like that. The boy you are giggling with needs to see you THAT way too. But, in your defense, I wish I took more time to dress up like you do.

To the chattering girls in cliques: please don't all congregate in front of the cash register to laugh and chat. That's rude. It annoys me. Everyone else wants to use the sub too. Thank you.

To the couple making goo-goo eyes in the corner booth: I don't know where you are in your relationship, but you are cute. Stay focused on Jesus. You're both popular, you're both in clubs, you're both being watched by all your friends and "brothers and sisters." Be a good example--you could change a LOT of lives. You make me miss my fiance just a little bit more. You just kissed each other on the cheek. That was really really sweet. Thank you for no gross PDA in the sub. I would hate to lose my breakfast.

To the boy studying frantically with notecards: I know you--I've had you in class. Study harder. That is all.

To the frat boys chit-chatting: who you hang out with, how many friends you have, what girl you have hanging on your every word, and what you do on the weekends isn't what makes you cool. If you REALLY wanna be cool in the eyes of those watching you pray and follow Jesus. I would respect you a lot more if you would do that in public.

To the workers behind the counters: I am so sorry. I know there are days that we make your life miserable. "Can you put cheese on that? You didn't do that right. I didn't know that cost money!" I know you hear it all. You look tired....you need a day off too. I think I'll go buy something and smile just to tell you thanks for putting up with hundreds of college kids who act like they don't care. Most of them don't...because they don't know what it's like to need a job and do anything to put food on the table. They will someday....and someday they may have to put up with people just like them.

To the man with half his life spread all over one table: I know you too. I have you in class now. I'm sure you're getting information for your next poem. I don't understand you--and sometimes you irritate me. But I know you struggle, and for that I must learn to curb my tongue and feel empathy for you. So you just go right ahead and take up the entire table--

Yes, I'm a people watcher....and from it I learn lessons. There are people I see that I wish I were more like. I wish I were like the athletic basketball girls--I wish I had better style and a fitter body...I wish my fiance were here with me so I could look enchanted and giggle at everything he said, whether it's funny or not...I wish I were dressed beautifully and had the outgoing personality that I see.

But in the end, I'm me. I'm the girl in jeans, black dress boots, brown jacket, and a less than perfect body image. I'm the girl who is blogging in a booth by herself while listening to a sermon in my headphones. I'm me. And I'm fine with who I am.

Ok that's partly a lie...I'm learning to accept myself the way I am and change what I can to become more of who God wants me to be....but I love every moment.

It's Tuesday. It's a good day.

3 comments:

Becky Dietz said...

You can blog while listening to a sermon??? I wanna be like you!!

Kaylene Elise said...

I am the most obsessive people watcher in the world. :) I journaled my observations on a train ride recently and have been thinking of blogging it. Its so true that you learn so much from watching how other people live--whether good or bad!

C said...

Wow! Thank you so much for posting this. It is really inspiring. I am also a people watcher, but I tend to judge more than think the best of them. It is hard to find people who are truly trying to be thankful for the way God made them. Most say they are thankful for being "me", but in the end, they really don't reflect what they say by their lifes.
I struggle with that probably the most. I pretend I am thankful for how God made me, but as others, in the end it is only just a show.
Again, this has really encouraged me, one: kowing there are poeple just like me around the world, and two: knowing it is ok to be "me", to be thankful for how God made me, b/c I am perfect in His eyes, and that is all that really matters.

Thank you again!
and BTW, no joke, I think you are beautiful :)
You and your fiance are in my prayers!
God Bless!
Charity Anne