Spring is in full swing in Hagerstown right now. Most trees are sprouting tiny leaves; others bear loads of snowy, delicate blossoms. The weather fluctuates between sunny, rainy, warm or chilly, causing the locals to complain. But even for the head-shakers there’s definitely a stir and excitement in the air as the world comes back to life and so do we.
Another peerless Saturday in Hagerstown, Maryland found me at the mall. It’s like any other mall in America, with the big department stores, smaller retail chains like American Eagle, and a few independent shops trying to make it.
With my hyper-mobile lifestyle, the things I used to shop for – home decor, especially – are no longer relevant. And I can only buy so many clothes, too, before they don’t fit in my luggage. However, I do still adore going to the mall, and for one purpose: people-watching. Paying close attention to interactions around me yields such enchanting surprises.
As I entered the big double doors, I noticed the mall was sparsely peopled on this sunny Saturday. A few shoppers hugged the edges of the wide tiled hallway; our reluctance to walk down the middle left a wide open space. Suddenly a little girl broke away from her older guardians and, curly blonde hair flying, began doing cartwheels one after another after another down the hallway.
The middle-aged lady accompanying this adorable, energetic girl was appropriately shocked. “Stop that right now!” she commanded in a moderate tones. From across the hall, though, a group of older teens broke into applause. “Awesome,” muttered a bro walking near me. “I wish I was little enough to still do that, ’cause I would,” a pretty twenty-something told her friend. It was true that the space had been perfect for a child-sized tumbling pass and someone as tall as me would have run out of room.
But we all felt uplifted; this burst of physical energy put into motion what we felt. SPRINGTIME. Time to throw off restraint and express joy in the sunshine. Or in the mall. I hope that everywhere, I can feel free enough to do just that. Because, in the words of long ago,
If not you, then who?
If not now, then when?
Carpe diem.
-The Dauntless Princess-