The things that make you go hmmmmm….


 I wonder why so many people like myself enjoy people watching. Have you ever driven by a house and got a quick glimpse into someone’s home? Do you wonder by the brief picture, who these people are, what they do, are they friendly, strange, crazy, cool? Do they have the same problems or dreams that you do? How about watching people in public. In a store, a concert, a sports event, an emergency room, at work or an airport. Watching others can give you hints of their stories. When you over hear a conversation, do you assume things? How about when a person is on the phone and you can overhear one side of the conversation. What inferences do you make?

Human behavior can be quite entertaining. The way people treat others, their posture, body language, gestures and the expressions on their face can tell a lot about their personalities or about the mood they are in. Some people walk casually, appearing to be in deep thought and it makes me wonder what they are thinking about.  A far off look, a brief, fading smile could cause you to assume they are thinking about a pleasant memory of the past. A grimace could make you think they may be in pain. A frown could say disappointment to you.

I always make the best of a layover at the airport, it entertains me to get a glimpse of different cultures, cultural practices, parenting, relationships and languages I don’t understand. I love to try to guess what their conversation is actually about. I remember when my nephew was little, my sister and he would watch soap operas or other shows in Spanish and make up what the characters were saying. That’s kind of what I do when I hear a conversation in a language I don’t understand.

Everybody has a story. An elderly couple holding hands for example, what is their story? Have they been together since they were kids or did they have separate lives, separate families, got divorced or lost their spouse in death and then reconnected after fifty years?  As an observer, the narratives I come up with can be quite entertaining. I can only speculate, but my own thoughts amuse me. I’ll probably never know the real stories of the people I observe and may never see any of them again, but the curiosity and creativity that enters my mind is a fun experience.

Of course this activity is for my own dalliance. I’d never stare, be obvious or make anyone uncomfortable. It’s never about violating someone’s privacy. It’s just a harmless activity that intrigues me. People watching is not just an entertaining thing to do, maybe it can help us have a better understanding of others, and help us recognize diversity.  People watching can remind us that we are all human, we all struggle, we all are on this journey called life. 

So if you’re not a people watcher, try it sometime. Observe the people around you, it can open your world to all kinds of ideas and entertainment. 


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