Imagine

When I was little I loved to pretend. I would play with my doll and treat her like a real baby. I would put her in the stroller and walk her around the house. I would talk to her and feed her and change her and she responded to me just as if she was real. I had tea parties with my stuffed animals; pretend to sleep over’s with my all my toys.

I would lay on the grass and look up at the clouds; my imagination would allow me to see animals, mountains and people. I would image that an old Indian lived in the woods by my house and made up stories about what he did when it got dark.

As I got older, my imagination days were fewer and fewer as it became important to in the here and now. Deal with the facts and focus on what is real. But I always found time to image when it was late and all the day's activities were over. I would image what our new home would look like. I often image what heaven will be like and all the people I will see.

I like to watch people. Not in the stalking-creepy-sort-of-way, but in the grab-a-cup-of-coffee-sit-out-front and watch people walk by way. Some walk with purpose, some walk looking at the landscapes they pass. Some jog, others push baby strollers or walk dogs. Each person has a story to tell. Each person has a soul.

I find myself looking at there feet a lot because I don't want to make them nervous about me watching them so I look at there feet. It's summer so I see a lot of sandals, sneakers, and flip-flops. All are going someplace with something to do. This got me thinking what if I imaged the lives of these people?

So next time I'm driving and a car cuts me off, instead of thinking they are a jerk, what if I pictured them as  rushing to the hospital because there child is hurt.   Would I change what I think of them, or slow down making them room on the road?  There feet are trying to get them to their child's side.  What about the person behind me honking at me to drive faster - what if I visualized that they are the only breadwinner for there family and the new layoffs are going to be posted soon, so they are trying to get to work and show the boss that they are worth keeping.  There feet are trying to provide for there family. Would I be willing to pull over so they could pass me and even say a prayer for them.

Would it make me a kinder person, a gentler person, maybe even a more Godly person? I am not responsible for others behavior but I am responsible for mine. All those feet - all going someplace – all with stories to tell. Just a thought.