When I was younger, I would go ‘people-watching’. I’d go to the mall, literally sitting and watching people go by. I watched how they walked; if they were with others, I watched how they interacted with them; and watched to see if people were paying attention to their surroundings.
I’d wonder if they were having a good day or bad, and if they were just existing – going through the motions.
I began to realize that most people walked around with a “do not disturb” bubble around them. They cut themselves off from their surroundings. Their goal was to get in, get what they came for, and get out, with minimal interaction.
I then began watching outside critters – rabbits, birds, lizards, insects, snakes, etc.
Out of every creature I watched, I realized that not one of them had a “do not disturb” bubble around them. Sure, they don’t interact all the time (everyone likes some down time!) – but not one had the self-isolation bubble that I saw so frequently with humans.
The majority of critters, even when they appeared totally self-involved, were not. They were aware at all times.
Yeah, survival techniques; I got that. But, they were also in touch with their environment. They were AWARE.
When did so many humans lose that? Can we get it back?
Jan Toomer
February 25, 2009
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