Staring into space: a lost art

In the not so distant past, a person would go into a coffee place and get a cup and sit at a table and stare out the window, just daydreaming.  That person wouldn't be alone, others would be doing the same thing, just taking a short break from the craziness of the world,  having a quiet moment with nothing to do.  It was the same in airports: people read a book or sat quietly, waiting for their flights.  And even more fun was sitting on a bench in a city somewhere, just people-watching.

No one does this now.  You go into a Peet's Coffee or a Starbucks or a small coffee shop and everyone is either on their laptop or iPad or smart phone, involved in some sort of techno-communication.  No one is staring out the window, just thinking.  And forget about airports; the waiting areas are full of people chatting (loudly) on their cell phones or typing furiously on their keyboards, most of them frowning.  The pleasant past-time of people watching has gone the way of the print newspaper: it's just not productive enough to be worth indulging in.

I realize that I have a lot of time on my hands, and I readily admit that I spend a fair amount of time staring out windows, watching the world (or clouds) drift by.  It's peaceful and soothing sometimes and often it can be rather amusing if sitting in an area well populated by folks walking by.  Getting to see people stumble on the sidewalk or almost walk into a light pole because they are engrossed in something on their cell phone is a little frightening but also a bit funny.  Listening to someone's solo side of a phone conversation can be a great exercise in creative writing: you get to fill in the other side of that conversation with lightning fast dialogue, no waiting for cues.  You get to see what people are wearing, how they deal with sidewalk congestion, who tosses money in the busker's tin can.

So, my advice (and I know it's not worth taking) is to occasionally get off the device and look around and just observe for a few moments.  Don't comment, don't Facebook about it, don't even respond consciously.  Let the few minutes of free time pool around you.  Stare out the window, watch people wander by, take a mental break.  Smile.  It's easy.  It's calming. It's like being unplugged.

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