From the Bench

Many times I have been in a store or a mall and I would just sit on a bench and watch people as they walked by. I see people of all sizes, shapes, races, and wonder about them. I wonder if they are happy. I think you can often tell that from the expression on their faces. Some people always look happy no matter what, it is like they have a permanent smile. Other people rarely smile and I can't help but think that their life is not going the way they wish it to be.

I see people that are white, black, oriental and wonder if they have had racial issues in their lives. There is no doubt that many white people are racist toward black people. However, there is no doubt in my mind that many black people are just as racist toward white people. I don't think oriental people are racist toward anyone. Oriental people are from what I see the nicest people on the face of the earth. They show kindness to everyone. Maybe I am a little prejudice there since my wife is oriental.

Sitting there on that bench in the mall I see so many people that are overweight, some slightly and others very much. I often wonder if the people that are overweight sit home at night and say to themselves, I am going to loose some weight as they are eating that piece of chocolate cake. There is no doubt that American people are obsessed with fast food. I once went to 248 pounds and I realized when I couldn't bend over and tie both shoes at once it was time to do something. I quit drinking soda and stopped eating at fast food places. I lost 45 pounds in 6 months. It takes will power, but it can be done.

I see many people wearing glasses. For some reason people think that because they wear glasses they are not attractive. Nothing bothers someone as much as when they are called four eyes. I wear glasses myself so I may look at things differently than some. I think that people that wear glasses has nothing to do with being attractive and actually I think it shows a sign of intelligence. I know it has nothing to do with it, that is just a thought I have in my head.

I see husbands and wives, or boyfriend and girlfriends out shopping in the mall. You know that the female has to go in every store even though there is nothing in there that they will ever want to buy. I think it is so that they can say to their friends, "Yes, I was there." Men on the other hand only want to go in a few stores that interest them. A woman can go to a mall for one item and spend three hours shopping. A man on the other hand can to to the mall for one item, walk in one store and he is done in ten minutes. Think about it, really it is true.

I think you can learn a lot just by watching other people. I see people that love to go shopping with their kids, you can tell by the way they act. Other people are there with their kids and hate it, they are constantly yelling at their kids to behave. So I have to wonder, maybe they aren't behaving because you did not teach them the proper way to be in the mall.

There is a lot of hate in this country anymore and I feel ashamed that my country has become this. Children are not born to hate, it is something that they learn. When a parent says bad things about the black family living next door, or the Mexican man that is doing the landscaping across the street. or the Muslim family that just wants a better life. Children remember those things and take it to school with them. Parents need to please learn that what they say or do influences their children. We need to get the hatred out of America. This country is better than that. We need to move forward, not backward.

Copyright Larry W. Fish 2017