Have you ever driven by a house and instantly know its story? That little farm house with an elderly couple sitting on rocking chairs. We all know that story. Married young, had many children, fought in a war, farmed the land, kids moved away, sold some of the land where a new neighborhood sits, retired and just waiting until Wheel of Fortune comes on the TV then time for bed. Yes, we all know their story. They have made a million "made for TV" movies about their story.
Today I saw a very young Mother at Wal-Mart Pharmacy and her obviously sick baby girl. She paid for the prescription with change. Nickles, dimes and pennies. You could feel her stress. I wondered if she had enough money for them to eat tonight. What was her story?
At the park there was a family having a picnic. The whole family looked very preppy. They even had the classic Eddie Bauer picnic basket and blanket. The kids were all very good looking and played nicely with the other kids at the park. I overheard the dad say, "I think Trevor is going to be a politician when he grows up." Then the mom said, "Either that or a criminal!" I thought...."What's the difference?" But there must be quite a story there for her to say that.
I wonder what people think when they see my family, when they look at my house. Do they see the couple married for almost 13 years who are still very much in love? Do they see this couple stress out over bills? kids? cars? money? family? Do they see the kids who don't want to brush their teeth? clean their rooms? drink their milk? Do they see happiness? Do they see love? Do they see who we really are?
I wonder if my image of others stories is correct.
That old couple could have millions of dollars in the bank and not a care in the world. They love their house and have no desire to move on up. They might hate Wheel of Fortune and go to bed late.
That stressed mother could have lost her wallet. She could have walked out of Wal-Mart and into a BMW for all I knew.
That happy preppy couple could have been just that. Happy.
I wonder if my image of others is just as off as others image of me. What is the story that I want others to look at me and see? We all have a story. Maybe we have more than one story. The actual story and the story people see.
2 comments:
Kat do you know how much I enjoy reading your thoughts in here? I think it is a woman thing to observe the stranger and want to know the story. I've found myself sitting through an entire mass where I was so captivated by an interesting family in the pew in front of me, that I realize I missed the point of mass altogether.
Something I do, that might be considered voyeurism, Is to ride through a city at night, and peer into lit windows to imagine what life might be going on in that little glimpse of that room. It's not the affluent neighborhoods that fascinate me. It's the window on the third floor of a rental building, where the curtains, blanket, or dilapidated blind hangs outside the screenless window. I want to know what it's like to live in there. ;¬)
Keep observing and writing about it! (((Kat)))
I keep checking back for new thoughts from you.
Not sure if this is an incentive, but out of the blue, Tom said, about your refections...........I never knew Kat was such a good writer and thinker!
Yep. ;¬)
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