Observations...

The mall is quite an interesting place, is it not? Especially on Friday night. Have you ever had or taken the time to just sit and observe - just watch, even for a little bit? What you will find is quite fascinating, really. So facinating that I decided to post about it (but maybe that's just me). People act out of control. It's astonishing how they carry themselves. It's to the point of being ridiculous. Tonight, just watching what was going on, I found myself perturbed. Yes, being a high-schooler is all about having fun, but isn't there a certain point where you should draw the line? No one respects anything or anyone (especially themselves), and it's sad.

The setup of the mall cafe court is interesting in and of itself. You have the end where every high schooler in town congregates, and the other end where "other groups" choose to assemble, but right in the middle of it all, you have the kid's play place. Isn't it funny how you always wonder where kids learn things? While they're just trying to be kids, everyone around them is unconsciously setting an example for them. And people wonder where kids pick up on everything that they do. It's not the mall's setup that is bad, but just how people are in general. It's a bit distressing.

But what I saw tonight that I really intended to write about wasn't negative, disheartening, or upsetting at all. In fact, it was quite the opposite. An older wheelchair-bound man sat outside the kid's place and watched his son (no older than 4) play. It was one of the sweetest, most perfect things I've ever seen. Maybe it's just because I don't hardly see anything like that anymore, maybe that's why it hit me so hard, but that is true love, and that is beautiful. I sit here with my eyes welling up knowing that that truely is what is wrong with everything. Lack of love, caring, compassion. It is the opposite of everything else I saw tonight, and that is why it stood out. It is the one thing that is good, and when that is the only good you can find out of everything else that you've seen, that to me is upsetting. People see other's lack of love, caring, and compassion and copy what they see. Maybe it is the lack of love in their own lives that causes them to want to be like someone else, whether it's dressing, acting, or believing the same as them. They don't (or didn't) have enough caring in their lives to develop the confidence to be their own person - and to respect themselves, as well.

In the end, it all ends up in the beginning. God. We sin, God loves us enough to send Jesus - He loves us enough to forgive us. So, it does end where it began - lack of God is lack of love, and that is what I've seen and concluded. I'm not just talking about husband-wife/ boyfriend-girlfriend type love, but love. The real thing. Caring about other people, even if you don't know who they are. Love for yourself. Love for people you know that are special to you. Family, friends, anyone. That's what is missing. So the next time you go out, see if you see love. And when you are grown and married and have children, take them to the playground and play with them. That's love.

It can't be summed up any better than by God...and the Beatles ;)

"Let us love one another, for love is of God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."
- 1 John 4:7-8,11-12

All you need is love, love
Love is all you need