OBSERVATIONS AT THE MALL

Friday afternoon, I volunteered to be in charge of the donation table at the local mall for the Saginaw Rescue Mission. The mall was bustling with shoppers but very few people wanted to take the time to give a donation. To pass the time, I began to observe what kind of people come to the mall. The table was set up across from a Tattoo, Piercing, and Body Jewelry Store; this presented a great opportunity to view a variety of characters.
Here are some of my observations:

WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE COME TO THE MALL?
There were mall-walkers with measured strides, children in strollers or wagons and lead around with harnesses. A woman in a wheelchair, a man with a cane and a senior citizen tooling around on an Amigo. Mothers & sons, fathers & daughters, sisters, grandparents with grandchildren, mommies and mommies-to-be; cell phone talkers, security personnel, lonely people, friends in groups chatting excitedly, or sharing a joke. Couples who have spent years together holding hands and couples newly discovering each other, arm in arm. Couples together yet far apart... Caucasian, black, Asian, Hispanic, Indian, Mid-Eastern. Bearded and clean-shaven men; bald men, men with ponytails, short hair, long hair, spiked hair, braided dreds, newly coifed, straight and curly. Hair colored black, brown, red, pink, orange, gray, white, streaked, and two-toned. All joining in the hunt for the world’s greatest bargain.

WHAT DO PEOPLE WEAR TO THE MALL?
Some dress for this all important occasion, others prefer “come as you are” not realizing the personality secrets they are revealing to anyone who will take the time to observe them. I merely observed, you can make the conclusions. There were men and women in dress suits, sweat suits, Army fatigues, torn jeans, camouflage shirts and pants, miniskirts, clothes too small, clothes too big, fur coats, and men in shorts oblivious of 30 degree weather. Many wore Christmas sweaters announcing the season. Team apparel trumpeted team loyalty; Tigers, Lions, Red Wings, San Francisco 49ers jacket, Army, GMI, Grand Valley State, University of Virginia and Syracuse University sweatshirts, University of MI and MI State jackets, but NO OHIO STATE. Their feet were shod with high heels, tennis shoes, fashion boots, snow boots, and work boots, pointed, square and rounded toes. Heads were topped with knit caps, baseball caps on sideways and backwards, fur-lined hoods, earmuffs, felt hats, fishing hats, hunting caps, bandannas and kerchiefs, elf hats, tan hat with feathers, wigs and pink hats on cancer survivors.

HOW DO PEOPLE ACT AT THE MALL?
Some walked fast, as if on a mission; others strolled leisurely peeking into store windows, enjoying the decorations, balls of red, gold, and green, hands in pockets or arms swinging free. People loaded down with shopping bags; bags from stores I’ve never seen. A lady carrying shopping bags layered 3 deep on each shoulder and 2 of various sizes in each hand. Others clutched just one precious package; the one they had searched for diligently, containing the promise of so many dreams. Shoppers ignoring kiosk vendors offering hand cream samples and novelty toys. Excited and exhausted faces, frowning and smiling, afraid to make eye contact; not wanting to be greeted, but unable to resist a friendly smile. Hugging old friends, making new friends; drinking coffee and soft drinks, eating cookies, pretzels, frozen yogurt and other mall culinary delights. Teens with I-Pods singing and dancing, moms checking lists, dads checking wallets. Frustrated parents with screaming children afraid of the bearded man in the red suit. I wonder, how does a man who sits in a mall all day provide toys for anyone?

To a casual passerby it was a typical Friday at the mall but to the more observant soul the faces shown with the wonder of a first Christmas, memories of Christmas past or the boredom of “just another Christmas.” Pausing just a moment, I heard the joyful sound of Christmas music mingled with the dull, distant roar of voices, the click of heels, squeak of canvas shoes, and the plodding of winter boots, babies screams and heartfelt laughter. There were hundreds of strangers brought together by perfect timing with little in common but a need for love, a smile, a hug, a good bargain and most importantly a Savior. Let us not forget the Reason for the Season.