Watching People In A Restaurant

I sat alone in a crowded restaurant and observed all the people there. There were little babies, newborns, perhaps their first time out to a public restaurant. There were young parents there trying desperately to corral their children. There were young teens on a date and each trying to impress the other with their sophistication and charm. There were the empty nest couples. Their children now gone, married, away, and now the parents sit there with that lost look. There were college students, full of life and promise. There were the elderly. They looked happy and glad to be together once more and enjoyed their meal together remembering when they were young and starting out. There was an elderly man and I could tell by his conversation he had recently lost his wife. He too, was lost and alone. Perhaps his mind wandered back through the years when he was young and in a restaurant like this.
Much could be learned about the character of people in a restaurant. Some would reverently pray thanking God for their food. Others, would dive into their meal with no prayer whatsoever. The ones praying, ignored by the others. The ones praying caring not what anyone thought of them. Some very polite and full of manners. Others, very crude and rude. Some most thankful to those that served them their food and left them a generous tip. Others, ungrateful and unkind to those serving them and walking out of the restaurant with a pompous look leaving no tip at all for those that worked hard to serve them. Some used foul language and others very dignified. Such, is the nature of humans. Perhaps all the conversations were the same. People talking about money, jobs, family, friends, neighbors. Some full of gossip and lies and others perplexed by the troubles of life and just trying to have a moment of peace. Some bone tired for work and labor and looking for relaxation. You can learn a lot by watching. Each one there has a story to tell of a life lived and events that had brought them to this place at this hour. Such is life!

As I observed all that were there. I thought, how many here will be dead in six months? What will happen to all these that are here now? What will be there fate? For now, there was love, laughter, enjoyment, and pleasure in good food and some time together. This moment of life and time frozen there for just a moment but it would soon be gone. This group of humans in this place at this moment shall never meet quite again like this. I special moment in time.

I noticed when folks came they were happy and excited. They were hungry and looking for a great meal. I noticed those that worked so hard serving everyone. But eventually, it was check out time. Time to check out and leave. For the group that was there for now, would never be together again like this. Strangers passing in the night at one restaurant and a plate of food. But, check out time comes for all.

In this life we shall all, receive our check and pay our dues and fade from this life.

On and on I could go. The lessons of life seen in a public restaurant. Life teaches us all the time. Do we listen? Do we see?

"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." (James 4:14).