People watching

Have you ever just sat at a mall or a restaurant and watched people? No, not in a weird, creepy, stalker way. Just watched. Noticed how people act, react or interact with others? I think I'm a people watcher, because I have. I do.
I also think too much, this I know for sure. I analyze every situation far above and beyond what is necessary. I think about them, about me, about what I think of them, about what impression I'm leaving for them to think of me...Yeah, I officially think too much.
I wonder if other people think about well, stuff as much as I do. I can't be the only thinker, right? I know I'm not. It just seems that way when I'm sitting here, waiting for my lunch, watching people and thinking. Always thinking. And watching.
You know, you can learn a lot from watching and listening. I was unbelievably shy as a child. I pretty much didn't talk. If you didn't know me, you'd probably have thought I was mute. No joke...I didn't speak. But when I got teased about it, my mom told me to say, "I learn more from listening than from talking." I never forgot that. It's incredibly true.
Anyway, back to people watching. It's fascinating, really. If you're really paying attention you can see so much. People who look sad...what is going wrong in their life? People who act out...why are they angry? People who seem to be loving life...what makes them tick? What are they thinking about me? Or about the guy at the register? What is he thinking about it all?
There I go with the thinking thing again. It's interesting, though. Plus, thinking is seriously underrated in today's world. I like to take advantage of it when I can.
So, here's the thought for today - think about people. Don't just watch, think about them. Everyone has a story, and no matter how big or how small they think it is, it matters. It shapes them. So as I watch, I'll put my thinking to good use and think about how I can make their day a little brighter. Think about them. Not me. Them.