LauderBlog
Nov 10: Looking and Listening
Posted On: November 10, 2008 3:31 PM
Posted By: LauderBLOGGER
Related Subjects: Greater Fort Lauderdale
Sometimes we don’t pay enough attention to the things going on around us. Ok, most of the time we don’t. These often are little things, sights and sounds that help us tune in to our surroundings if we’ll only notice. On Monday morning, I drove home from Lighthouse Point along A1A. My convertible top was down and the early sun was already strong and the sky was a clear, pretty blue. I stopped for coffee and a small bite, sitting for half an hour in a shopping center and just observing. One thing soon caught my attention. A man’s voice behind me, speaking German until he pronounced two words that I recognized. In his own fashion. “Fawht Laow-der-dawl,” he said to a woman as they passed by. He was smiling when he spoke the name of this community, apparently a couple of European tourists chatting about their visit to Fort Lauderdale.
Like I said, a small thing. But it reminded me how many people come to South Florida from other countries and how much they enjoy it and how lucky I am to live here. And how people are coming again this year, no matter what else is going on in their part of the world.
That much was obvious as I looked around the outdoor restaurant. It was packed, busier than I’d seen it in months. Then something else struck me. Wow it’s, like, almost the holidays. This little bit of perspective arrived when I suddenly focused on a sight that had been staring at me for 10 minutes, without my eyes really paying attention. Christmas decorations. They were up in all their green and red tinsel glory around the whole shopping center. Odd as it may sound, this came to me as a surprise. First, because I hadn’t noticed them earlier. Second, because – well, wow, it’s like almost the holidays. Sure, I knew that November had just rolled into double digits. And yes, I seem to remember that Thanksgiving is sometime this month. I even recall that the holiday season gets going as we carve up the turkey. But I’ve been swamped with work lately and somehow never fully realized that the holidays truly are at hand. So there you have it. Little observations, little awakenings during an early morning outing. Nothing too profound, obviously. Except to serve as a reminder about how easy it is sometimes to walk through our days with senses half asleep.
Like I said, a small thing. But it reminded me how many people come to South Florida from other countries and how much they enjoy it and how lucky I am to live here. And how people are coming again this year, no matter what else is going on in their part of the world.
That much was obvious as I looked around the outdoor restaurant. It was packed, busier than I’d seen it in months. Then something else struck me. Wow it’s, like, almost the holidays. This little bit of perspective arrived when I suddenly focused on a sight that had been staring at me for 10 minutes, without my eyes really paying attention. Christmas decorations. They were up in all their green and red tinsel glory around the whole shopping center. Odd as it may sound, this came to me as a surprise. First, because I hadn’t noticed them earlier. Second, because – well, wow, it’s like almost the holidays. Sure, I knew that November had just rolled into double digits. And yes, I seem to remember that Thanksgiving is sometime this month. I even recall that the holiday season gets going as we carve up the turkey. But I’ve been swamped with work lately and somehow never fully realized that the holidays truly are at hand. So there you have it. Little observations, little awakenings during an early morning outing. Nothing too profound, obviously. Except to serve as a reminder about how easy it is sometimes to walk through our days with senses half asleep.
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