Set a spell, take your shoes off, make yourself comfortable, and watch really watch the world go by. Notice the people, who are they, where are they from, are they having fun, who appears to be upset, who is dancing, who is struggling. Look at the place, what were the designers and builders hoping you would see and how it would make you feel?
We spent three days as tour guides here in DC. Revisiting places I have been many times, our guest was someone who hadn't spent a lot of time in the area in nearly 50+ years. The agenda was ambitious. It is so easy to be overly ambitious. This time I was careful to not over do. I am old and there is a lot of me, my feet hurt if I spend too much time on my feet. So rather than walk every museum, every area of every monument, I took Jed's advice to set a spell. I sat and I watched. And I took in what was around me, thinking about what was there. I was stuck by FDR's words, hard to reconcile his words about civil rights, with his administration interning 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry, ripping families from their homes, and businesses just based on origin.
Next time you are out and about, find a bench, set for a while and watch the world.
The character Jed Clampett, was played by Buddy Ebson, who, along with Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood fame, both graduated from Rollins College in Winter Park Florida, where I also graduated, where I met my sweet bear.
Ebson went to the same college as you and that was where you met your life partner! Sitting on bench seat or an outdoor cafe seat at a table and watching the world go by is very pleasurable for me.
ReplyDeleteEbson was there a few decades before us, but yes.
DeleteNothing better than sitting and watching sometimes. You learn the most remarkable things.
ReplyDeleteI need to remember to do that more often
DeleteI love DC and there is always something new to see when I am there. I teach World War II and we talk about the irony of FDR's words with the internment of the Japanese-Americans.
ReplyDeleteFeel free to use the photo, let me know if you need more.
DeleteI agree, I get like that when I play tour guide too, because in cities like ours there is so much to be seen, but have learned now to show only one thing a day. It's also more memorable and yes, take time to just sit...even better when eating and sitting and watching.
ReplyDeleteThose three gin lunches of yours are famous
DeleteI can honestly confess that I do that quite often. I love to just sit and watch for a while.
ReplyDeleteI need to do it more often, Phoenix has some pretty places
DeleteI enjoy seeing familiar places through the eyes of others. We used to have year passes to the San Diego Zoo. We would sit and people watch when we got tired of looking at the more civilized animals. Showing visitors around is always a treat.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Expo site on the hill, so fun
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