we went to the mall this afternoon to watch the people

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.  (Psalm 139:13-15 NLT)

We went to the mall this afternoon to watch the people.

There were no weirdos there today, but we saw the whole spectrum of humanity. And how wonderfully made we are. The wide variety of mankind is amazing.

There were herds of teenagers all roaming together. It seems that kids don’t go on solitary dates like they used to. Now they go in groups.

There was a tall girl in one herd. She was no more than maybe 15, but is going to be a striking girl when she gets older. She was probably at least 5’10” and was trying her best to walk near a boy who was closest to her height. She wore an orange spaghetti strap top with black tights and a fluffy skirt. With her height and her slimness, it made her look dorfy. I hope she learns.

There were couples holding hands. Just about the time that I think that all kids go in herds, then a couple comes along holding hands. They walk differently today than when I was young. They part and she will walk in front, then him, then kind of together occasionally hitting each other, then holding hands. It is interesting.

There were lots of new shorts. You could tell because they were riding up and the wearers had trouble adjusting to them after a winter of jeans.

Along with the new shorts were white legs. White legs galore. Since it is just March, that is to be expected, but today was so mild – about 70 – that they could stand it no longer and had to break the shorts out.

Along with the shorts were the flip flops. Flip flops of all kinds and colors, high and low heel, jeweled and plain – every kind of flip flop you can imagine. And again, the feet were so white.

The weather turned while we were in the mall and dropped 30 degrees, so I would imagine they were not as happy coming out as going in.

The young people were dressed to kill. You knew that every piece of clothing the girls had on was selected with both care and agonizing precision. Nothing was left to chance. It looked casual and thrown together, but you knew it was not. They were loaded for bear.

There were teens skinny and fat. I think that the run of kids today are much larger than when I was a teenager. Probably due to the Super Sizer meals. We do not live in a healthy culture.

Purses were bright and large.

Colored hair, tattoos, piercings, all were derigeur. Kids were decorated any way they could be.

Black guys still wear sags to a point. You see less and less of them now though. They are going away in favor of more tailored jeans.

There were also a few white guy wannabes – guys who wished for some reason that they were black and dressed like little white gangsters. In general, they look foolish.

Children were in abundance, especially little girls in dresses. I don’t think we have to worry about whether or not there will be future generations. But I love the little girls in dresses. They are beautiful.

There were little children running everywhere. One family came by and the little girl was grousing about something. The little boy began to run and laugh. The little girl – probably 2 – got caught up and soon the whole family was running. I am not sure why the mom and dad did, but they too may have gotten caught up in the moment.

Babies were everywhere, strollers were all over. There was even one woman who pulled a cover over herself and began to nurse as she was walking. That surprised me. I wasn’t sure women did that anymore.

Families were in abundance. One family came by with a baby in a carrier and a boy in a wheelchair. Probably they will always have someone to push.

The girls who worked at the Victoria Secret store wore very short black dresses. And it was amazing at the number of people who went into that store. Since the chairs we were sitting in were positioned right in front of Victoria’s Secret, it was hard to miss the crowd. Even some guys went in. In general, they looked like they felt stupid.

An old man came by pushing an old woman in a wheelchair. I see them there almost every time we go. It is probably the place they go to walk. She always smiles at me. He just pushes.

There was a young balding man in ponytail and long pointed goatee and an older man in a gray ponytail.

Since before Christmas, we have seen a couple who have a kiosk selling pajama holders that look like stuffed animals. They never seem to have less and they do not look happy. They do, however, have closing up down to an art. That includes a wheeled dolly that one lies on while they hook the tarp underneath the kiosk. I always hope they are not taking a bath in their business.

I love going to the mall. Where else can you see this intense and immense variety – all God’s children, all loved by him?