Lately I've been thinking a lot about people in general. I haven't really blogged about my thoughts lately, so I'll see where this takes me. Some people would like to argue with the comment that people are interesting. They seem to think that we are all alike in so many ways that we really cannot be true individuals. I, however, think people are absolutely interesting, unique, and curious in their own ways. I've already claimed that people watching is a past time of mine. Sometimes I just wonder what is really going on in their brains. Some of us are so good at hiding the inner emotions of our hearts with an outward display of happiness, when the core of our souls feel a longing, a desperation, and is crying out with anger or sadness. (Or just the opposite.) However, no one realizes because we are masters of disguise. On the other hand, there are those of us who wear every emotion we feel on our sleeve for any stranger to pass by and recognize the desires of our heart or the hatred, joy, or dullness we feel.
Mannerisms are absolutely intriguing to me. I love watching the way people express themselves whether that be verbally or with their body language. I have a few friends who can literally guess my mood or what I'm thinking about by what my hands are doing or the way I wear my hair. Finals and dead week has given me the perfect people watching opportunity. I've watched many people smile at the screen of their computers or phones. It makes me laugh inside to see this. I'm glad they're enjoying whatever it is they are reading or looking at, but from the outside looking in, it can be quite humorous. I've also noticed lately that when I'm taking a picture of someone and they are smiling, I smile with them. The things we do without realizing them can be interesting, and telling of our personalities I believe.
Some things I observe about human nature at times are just absolutely beautiful to me. Not long ago I watched a couple come into Aspen (the coffee shop). The girl walked up to order her drink, and the guy just sat there gazing at her as though he would never see something more breathtaking for the rest of his life. He sort of looked down and smiled to himself as if he had some sacred secret to hold that was all his own. If only the girl saw what I saw.
Another scene I observed was a guy sitting alone, studying quietly, when a man and his son walked in. You can just tell those people that love and adore children. He looked so longingly at the small child and you could tell that one of the desires of his heart is to one day have kids of his own or just to be able to be around them in his lifetime. I don't know why this struck me as so intriguing, but it made me smile to myself. (Which probably also looked rather strange to you other people watchers out there.)
I've also thought lately about smiling at strangers. Sometimes I smile at people when I pass by, when I'm not keeping to my own little world, and often times they do not respond at all. Rather, they look at me as if I've just offended them in some way. But alas, there are days when someone will smile back. It makes me happy, not only to know that I've made someone smile, but that it's lifted my spirits just a little bit more than I started out my day with. It's my personal opinion that God sees himself in all of us, and to be able to share that with someone else, even just through a smile or simply an acknowledgment, makes me feel that much closer to my Creator as I strive to daily become more like Him.
I'll end with this as I realize this is getting a bit lengthy. It's funny to realize your own mannerisms. Especially when people point them out to you. There are certain things that I know I do, and I've done them for years, but when you are around people more often and begin to acquire and adopt tid bits of their mannerisms, and then you become that much more of an interesting person! Don't pretend you don't do it! We all do. I have become "that person" that dances to music in their head or that's playing on their iPod in public places. I find myself moving strangely to the melodies I hear; (well strangely to other people), actually I'm probably just choreographing movement in my head from my years of dance. If it weren't inappropriate to get up and dance whenever you feel like it in public scenes... I totally would. I've been tempted many a time. I also actively recognize the things I do in uncomfortable situations, or with people that I'm just meeting for the first time. I'm sure I look quite awkward. I won't reveal my mannerisms to you now, I think you should observe and watch for yourself. What's the most interesting mannerism you've noticed in someone of late?
Thanks for taking a peek into a few of my many recent thoughts. Sorry if it was all over the place. :)
