Humans, I am convinced, cannot live without daily routines. Maybe that's why schools always have strict schedules. Mr. Chase once commented that it was funny. Funny that we have pretty much the same amount of different schedules as we do different times of day. And these schedules all just seem like odd and awkward variations of each other, but they're still schedules. Still concrete. Still solid and worshipped as ever. And yes, I do say they're worshipped. Because everything seems to revolve around them, like they're the sun. "Kids, please look at your *insert name here* schedule for *insert amount of days here*." or "Please disregard the old schedule; here, have a new one".
And yet, it doesn't matter if it's 10:30 or 12:30 before we switch classes. We still see people in the halls. The same ones, mind you. Every day. And you might not necessarily know who they are, but you just see them. You see them, you might even come up with a clever little nickname for them. And I guess we sort of just do this to amuse ourselves. Because I think that sometimes, we need to have names for things so we know exactly what to call them, so they're not a drifting image in our head. Or a concept. Names give people something more concrete and real, almost as though they weren't a person before you gave them that name.
I have food for thought (though the notion of spoon-feeding my brain is an awkward one indeed... I always image that I'm spoon-feeding my brain baby food. Which is nasty because it's usually mashed up peas or gross stuff like that). Do you ever wonder if you're one of those people that people see and give nicknames to? Well, I suppose it's a silly thought; of course people see you and of course they acknowledge your existence. That's why some of them might even step aside to let you by in the hall, or glare at you when you're too impatient to wait for them to step aside.
I think it's funny that we see people, we label them on their appearance or what they're doing at the time, and then we continue on. As if it's no big deal. Do you ever wonder, though, if you're one of those strangers that people see, and people wonder about?
If you put it that way, it just makes the world seem very odd, doesn't it? I suppose, though, some people have always kept this in mind. There's this whole thing about 'looking normal' thing that teenagers go through. So some people are focused on how they come across to others... Me? I don't think I personally give a care about that little dweeb that passes me in the hall and sees me shouting something rather explicit or random. Because, odds are, I probably won't interact with him.
This message will be short. But I hope it's at least effective.
I don't tell you try to be that perfect little person that says their Sunday prayers and makes all A's in school. I'm telling you to wonder how people perceive you. Because that thought is very entertaining to entertain.
Wonder about those people you see each day.
Wonder if they have as many blessings, as many curses in their life as you do.
And, perhaps, every now and then, venture out onto a limb and talk to that person you see, you know, but you never actually knew.
Because I think they would surprise you.
I know they would surprise me.
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