When we spend too much time looking at a screen, we are missing out on all the extremely amusing things people are doing around us.
I am also guilty of often taking my surroundings for granted. Even when the weather is awesome, I still sometimes need to push myself out into the sunshine. I know, it’s crazy but true.
So there I am riding my bike along the river, and out of the blue I am presented with the dazzling smile of a little guy of about 3 years old. He was experiencing the joy of riding a bike for the very first time. The wonder and satisfaction was written all over his happy face. Wow, right?! What a gift.
Another day I was sitting on a friend’s veranda, chilling. The day was lovely and the breeze was gently fluttering the leaves on the huge trees above. Then along comes a neighbour attempting to parallel park their car directly across from where I sat. She proceeded to bump into the car ahead of her, then slowly back up until she nudged the car behind her. This happened several more times until she was snugly parked in front of her house. Incredibly, there were no damages. Hilarious.
Some people move to a city to become more anonymous. Then there are those whose lives are dedicated to enticing people to watch them, like this most fascinating guy I met a couple of weeks ago, Peter Jarvis. He’s an entertainer and performance artist. He was voted Toronto’s Best Busker for 4 years in a row and has performed all over the world. I have yet to see him on the street doing his “mesmerizing” silver robotic statue of Elvis and other iconic simulations, but if it’s anything like talking to him about life, I’m sure it’s astounding.
People watching is a great hobby. It requires no equipment. Just take your feet out of your home and let your eyes roam. Amazing things happen every day; we only need to take the time to look and appreciate what is already there.
I’ve also written about some other amazing minimalist hobbies that you might enjoy: