Wednesday, November 14, 2012

See the Lonely Man There on the Corner


"What he's waiting for I don't know....."

There is a elder-care building next to the school that my children attend but I'll get to that in a moment.  We live nearby so either Shannon or I drop our girls off every morning.  There is always a long line of cars waiting in the "drop-off" line, mostly stay at home mom's who prefer to take their kids into school.  Of course there are some parents, like myself, who are dropping off on their way to work.
 
None of that is really the focus of this post though.  About a year ago my girls noticed that there is a gentlemen who resides on the upper floor of the retirement community who watches the kids going to school every day.  We don't know who he is and can't really make out his face but we know he's there by his shadowy image in the window.  One could think this odd but we choose to find it comforting knowing that he is there watching over the kids as they go to school everyday.
 
We've wondered aloud who he is, what his life was like.   Was he a teacher perhaps, did he take his kids to school?
 
Does he enjoy watching the kids going to school or is he just bored?
 
Of course in spite of what you might think from this blog I do often think of things.  I often think of the man for a few minutes as I pull out of the parking lot and change the satellite radio from Disney to First Wave and before I begin thinking about my work day.
 
What was this man's life like?  Did he have a family?  As he looks on the children every day does he look upon them in joy and fulfillment of a life well spent or does he look upon them in sadness of time gone by?
 
I don't know but I do think of that Gensis song and wonder about those men on the corner or in those windows.  I know the times I have been in elder-care homes the residents always seem so glad that anyone cares.  They are drawn to any energy or life force that comes near.  In that they are no different than any of us.  I find myself even now stopping when I see a local daycare walking kids to the library and remember when it was my kids going to story time.  Kids are a natural energy and life force that we all tend to be drawn to like a lost spirit drawn to an otherworldly light.
 
I think, one of these days I might be that man looking out of a window at life.  Hopefully I will have created enough memories to feel good and enjoy watching and reflecting at the joyous progression of humanity.
 
What say you????
 


1 comment:

Unknown said...

I often think about what it will be like when I am old and sitting on my front porch, watching life go by. I try to live life fully and capture these little special and amazing moments that I commit to memory and always imagine that I will look back on them when I am old, sitting on that front porch with a smile and tell myself that I've lived a little ;)