Blog Challenge Day 15: O is Observation



Every evening after dinner my husband laughs at me and always for the same reason. As soon as I finish eating I turn away from the table to the window and start my daily observation. As our dinning table stands right next to our sloping window it requires only one move from me and I am already looking outside. What do I observe? The streets, the cars passing by, people coming home after work and others walking their dogs in the park, kids playing, adults jogging and everything else what's happening that time. Sometimes, the streets are still and quiet and on the other days they're full of events.

The view from my daily observation point

Why do I do it? Partially it's to see other people and be a little bit nosy - I see them but they don't see me and I can think of where they're going, where they are coming from and who are they rushing to see without being spotted. The most important reason though is to see what's going on out there, how the world is moving, what's happening at certain times of the day and of the week. Even if there is nothing going on, there is always the nature to observe. We live in the west of London, so usually in the evening we can see the sun going down emanating with purple and orange all over the place. And there is always an option of just looking out far far away and imagining what's there.

 

It's not only those window moments that I use for the observation. I love going to the park, sit down on a bench and observe the passers by. Did you know that each park has its own character? Depending on what time of the day you visit, you'll see a different side of it. In the morning you get actie joggers, later on mums relaxing with kids and a bit older but peaceful people and in the evening you get a mix from the neighbourhood. In London, there are high and mighty royal parks, like Regent’s Park, there are more public ones, do-what-you-feel-like parks like Hyde Park. At the bottom of the ladder there are local parks and fields. But they actually take first place in people's hearts.

I observe when I am on the tube. I am always wondering what people are doing when there is nothing to do? Most of them is reading a newspaper or playing games on their phone but some share experience of the day with another person or have different conversations (observing includes listening).
I observe when I am walking on the street or when I am in the church. My eyes are open constantly. Maybe I'll spot something new or original, maybe I'll be able to help somebody or maybe I'll just learn something about people. Because observation is not just about being nosy and spying on people but it's a way to understand what's going on around me, what am I involved in, where is my place in all that and how do I fit in.