A TRIP TO THE MALL

      I took a  trip to the mall yesterday- to the big one on the Iowa side of the river- and since I had to wait for our automobile tires to be rotated and aligned, I went to the Starbuck's inside of the Barnes and Noble store and worked on a sermon. On my way to the store, I passed a young woman who was "struggling" with two toddlers, one of whom was in a stroller, and a small group of disabled people on their way to the food court. They were moving slowly, some with a companion, one with a white cane, and my spirit rejoiced for them, even as I felt a burden for the young mother. When I entered the bookstore,I noticed a magazine cover featuring a man with "28 Day Abs," and it made me feel a little awkward because I've spent a lifetime without any visible abs. Then, as I approached the cafe, I noticed a special display featuring Starbuck's "Fall Blend." A "fall blend?" I wondered what it could be... as I ordered a "grande" coffee and a blueberry scone. I felt a little naughty ordering the scone, but in time, I finished it off, and my sermon as well, and I left the store... but not before I purchased a few books. I love history, religion, and language... so I just had to buy two copies of Phil Robertson's new book, a Duck Commander Devotional for women and a Duck Commander Devotional for men (one is pink), a clearance book on the "Lost Books of the Bible," a German language map, and a book entitled, "Learning German The Fast & Fun Way," on the way out.
      Then I walked around the mall itself, and except for the two shirts I bought at Jos. A. Banks, I just walked and observed people. There were several other walkers, of course, elderly men and women, generally walking as couples. Some of them walked as if they meant it and some of them were moving so slowly that they probably didn't burn a single calorie. I walked past the "eyebrow weaving" boutique, and I wondered if I needed to have my eyebrows weaved (nobody likes the Andy Rooney look). I passed the area where they display vibrating chairs and it took me back to the time when (legitimate) motels featured vibrating beds. They cost a quarter or two- I can't remember- and they would give you a little tingle for a few moments before they shut off. The majority of the people that I saw at the mall were overweight- some of them considerably- and I wondered if they had made peace with their inner selves (which would be a good thing)... or simply lost track of their appearance along the way (which would be a bad thing). Watching people can be fun, but I confess that I was annoyed by all the men wearing shorts... and they were ALL wearing shorts! I've been annoyed by this for years now, but there they were! Old men, young men, fat men, skinny men, men with pale legs, men with tanned legs, men with ankle length socks, men with black socks- all wearing shorts- and I wondered... when and how did this happen? Fess Parker never wore shorts... and Matt Dillon didn't either. What's next? Will quiches replace steak at Johnny's Steakhouse? Pray that shorts are not the beginning of the end for men as we've known them.
      As I walked the mall, I saw those who worked there, and I wondered how they made ends meet on their meager paychecks. I was a retailer for decades and I guess I still am. Besides, I'm something of a bleeding heart and I know how hard it is for working class families to get by. I passed the Victoria's Secret store and smiled... because there aren't many secrets anymore. Finally, I came to a small coffee shop next to the auto repair center and decided to wait there while they finished with our car. They had a modest menu, and I ordered a "It's Not Your Mom's" grilled cheese sandwich and another coffee. They were right. It wasn't my mom's grilled cheese sandwich and not nearly as good as my wife's. But the place was comfortable and it wasn't long before they called to tell me that the car was ready.
      Young people, old people, poor people, rich people, black people, white people, disabled people, enabled people, believers, non-believers, innocent people, cynical people- each and every one of them a child of God- each with a secret or two, each with a hope or two, each with fears, and issues. Everyone with a story... and me- an aging sinner, a born-again Christian who doesn't rest easily in any group. It occurred to me how much I need all of these people (even the men in shorts) and how deeply we are in this life together! I walked up and down and around for an hour... and no one made eye contact with me. People are afraid to know and to be known, myself included... but it can't be a good thing. Pray that we will come to see just how much we have in common... and how much we really, really need one another.