It was an abnormally hot day in June. I sat in the food court of Memorial City Mall waiting for a former student to arrive. I took a seat at one of the tables near the carousel and engaged in my favorite pastimes of people watching, I had the perfect excuse for staring at the crowd. If anyone had questioned my reasons for studying each person around me, I would have quickly noted that I was looking for a friend. The crowd was gloriously diverse which made my observation time even more wonderful.
As a security guard circled the area I was reminded of the violence that has become such a reality in our world today. He was a very young man who walked with more uncertainty and less swagger than he needed to inspire confidence. He seemed nervous which momentarily gave me the jitters. I quickly looked around to see where escape routes looked promising. I tried to determine where I might hide if a shooter was to enter. I worried most about the small children who were so innocently enjoying the freedom to run and play inside the cool, air conditioned space.
Everyone seemed so happy that I pushed my negative thoughts about shooters out of my mind. Nobody appeared to be deranged. No big guns were in sight. It was just a nice day out for everyone who was chatting and eating and laughing. Best of all the group gathered there was a microcosm of the incredible diversity of Houston, Texas, a welcoming place for people from all races and nationalities. The echoes of foreign languages wafted up to the roof and laughter seemed to be the order of the day.
I was fascinated by a handsome young man who was shepherding his very well behaved five children. They were all as beautiful as their father who spoke gently to them in a language that was unfamiliar to me. Perhaps they were from somewhere in the Middle East. At least this was my best guess about them. The older boys declined an offer to ride on the carousel, but the young ones followed their father with glee as they climbed the stairs onto the lovely platform filled with magical animals that moved up and down and round and round.
I saw a group of women chatting as though they had not see each other in years. Their smiles never left their faces as they bantered back and forth. I wondered how they knew each other and what had brought them together. Were they old school friends? Had they once worked together? Were they related? Whatever their relationship might have been they were quite happy to be together.
I overheard a man talking seriously to his lawyer. He expressed bravado in words, but his voice gave away his anxiety. I have no idea what his case was about but it was coming to court and he wanted to be certain that all of his ducks were in a row. When the brief conversation was over, he stared into space as though his phone call had not provided him with the confidence he had hoped to gain.
There were groups of teenagers opening the bags that they carried to show their finds of clothing, shoes, jewelry, games that they had purchased in the stores advertising summer sales. They nodded approvingly at each other as the presentations continued as a kind of ritual.
A multigenerational family arrived walking purposefully slow to accommodate the grey haired women who seemed unable to move without assistance. Everyone was duly and gently caring for the older lady’s needs. It was beautiful to see the love that passed between mother and daughter, grandmother and granddaughter. Nobody appeared to be annoyed at how much time it took just to get their matriarch seated. They ever so naturally made her the center of their attention. She in turn smiled blissfully at each of them. I supposed that it felt good for all of them to get out of the house and into a place filled with so much to see and do. It was a outing that allowed them to be together feeling normal even as their loved one’s health was markedly failing.
Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a young woman who was sobbing almost hysterically. Her entire body shook with each wail. Her friend moved to embrace her in a hug, wipe away her tears, listen intently to her sorrows. I wondered what tragedy had befallen this young girl. Had she lost her job? Did someone do something despicable to her? How sad it was to see her so devastated in the midst of a sea of people seemingly have fun.
There were so many stories in that room. Life was all around me showing itself in unfiltered glory. It was a beautiful thing to observe. I was deep in my thoughts when suddenly my former student arrived. She exclaimed with joy when she saw me and immediately embraced me in a big hug. She was no longer the young teen I had known. She was a woman with a family and a job and a wise grasp on how to live a good life. She was beautiful.
We moved to a quieter place to enjoy our lunch. We talked as though we had last seen each other only yesterday. We spoke of old times, but mostly of the present. It was wonderful to see her so happy and self assured. I felt a contentment in knowing that she was doing so well. After all, I had always wished the best for my students. It was nice to see that she had learned from me that the most important lesson is to respect and love the people around us.
It was a good day. My grown up student and I left with hugs and promises to meet again very soon. We exchanged phone numbers and spoke of how lovely our brief sojourn had been. I remembered one of the wisest things that I had ever known. It is in the brief encounters with strangers and friends that we often see the hopefulness of humanity. I felt assured that in spite of the hubbub on daily parade in the news, we are going to be alright. Our instincts for getting along and taking care of each other will rise to the fore. Nobody will be left behind as long as we take the time to notice them and demonstrate how much we care.
All It Takes Is A Little Love 