停不了.. ...成长脚步.docVIP

停不了.. ...成长脚步 　　It really was crowded and I have no idea why. I was at the local mall on one of my getaway-from-it-all visits. When things begin to blur and my mind is nearly at a dead stop, I know it’s time to take a break. In the winter I head for the mall. It goes back to my childhood when we would go window shopping on a Saturday evening just to get out of the house for a while. We also sat in our car at a local shopping centre munching on a favorite treat and just watching people as they walked by. So sitting in the mall is a comfortable place for me. I don’t stay long. You’ll never see me slumped over snoring like some of the old guys. I don’t gather with others in conversation nor do I bring a deck of cards and sit in the food court. I reenergize and move on. 　　Today though, my people watching skills were at a peak. The place was buzzing. There were three benches gathered together facing each other and I was fortunate to find one spot at the end. There was a mix of people of all ages and a constant flow of shoppers passing by. Suddenly there was a bit of a ruckus. A beautiful young girl appearing to be about 12 years old approached a woman sitting on the bench nearby me. The woman said, “Why don’t you sit with me for a while?” She seemed quiet and a bit reflective at first glance, but suddenly started to moan and whine about things. There obviously wasn’t room for her and she became quite upset. 　　“But where do I fit in? There’s nowhere for me to be. I just want to be somebody… be happy… belong!” the young girl said. 　　There was more to this than not having a seat on the bench. This was a young lady struggling to discover who she was and where she belonged. I was about to offer my seat to her when an older gentleman sitting next to the woman got up and left. I think he just didn’t want to get involved. But if you know me by now, I saw this as an opportunity to jump right in. 　　“It’s not just a seat you’re looking for is it?” I said as I looked at the yo