Transit

I sit in silence, tired by travels,

And watch us waiting to leave.

A destination we seek out-

A place for new air, fresh starts.

A way to shed old skin.

They say goodbye to their loved ones, tears fall.

Some tired in transit, others excited for their journey to begin.

Desire for the unknown, anxiety for the unknown.

No face the same, but we are not so different.

I search for myself and create myself every time.

 27/06/08 5.12pm (Ho Chi Minh City)

 

Now I’m not insinuating you should pull out some binoculars and stare at your neighbor like in Hitchcock’s Rear Window and this is definitely not about watching porn.  It’s about going outside or to a desired place and watching people go about their day.  People watching quite simply, can be greatly fulfilling.  It’s a way to hold a mirror up to life and immerse yourself in culture.  It’s a way to see how different every single person is and take note how lucky we are for that fact.  If you don’t feel that way about people, then shame on you, don’t be so close minded.  Yes, there are horrible people in the world, but there are also incredibly amazing ones too-they have different religions and upbringings, sexuality and gender preferences, some have disabilities or illnesses, some are from the far reaches of the globe or right in your own backyard.  Embrace that and take the time to step back and watch them all pass by.

JUST A NOTE: There is a difference between you being a freaky stalker, completely eyeballing someone or just watching as if you were glancing over a page.  The latter is the preferred method.

When I was travelling on my own overseas, it’s was a great pastime and often my savior.  When I was feeling lonely or wanted to be alone, I’d pull up a chair; sit in a park, lean against a wall and just watch.  It was not to be a perve, it was to be a voyeur.  I was watching my very own documentary about life, starring life.   I mean isn’t that how we learn.  As children we watch our parents or friends, and imitate.  Kids are like sponges, soaking up images and dialogue, learning and shaping themselves.  We watch films, sport, theatre, dance, go to galleries, see sunsets, sunrises and people can be present every time.  You can experience intimacy with a complete stranger without ever knowing them, you can be witness to a fight that may end a relationship, you can see love, bewilderment, a stolen glance, hurt, a spectrum of emotions. 

What got me thinking about all this was my trip to the airport last week.  I do wish I was actually getting on a plane to go somewhere but I was picking up some discs for work.  It did look a little like I was waiting to do a drug deal, but I assure you, it was work.  So I got there early and sat there looking at all these people who had just arrived from someplace else. It could have been a stopover, it could have been their last stop after travelling from overseas or it could have been from the end of a long work day.  Whatever the reason, they had arrived.  Airports are like prime real estate for people watchers, millions of stories floating in and out.  It’s no wonder the TV series Airport rated well, cause those places make people feel stuff.  Families are reunited or torn apart, people are excited or tired or angry. I once got a little teary watching an old man hug his daughter (I think it was) for what looked like the last time.

Whatever the place that you choose to watch, sometimes it is important to watch people to realize that we all have our baggage, even when we are not at the airport (sorry -bad pun).   It’s good to remember that and maybe take that on board when you see someone having a bad day.  By watching others, you may actually walk a mile in their shoes and understand humanity that little bit more.

 Here are some snaps that I took from some of my travels to demonstrate:

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