JOSHUA TIME 608

MountainWings A MountainWings Moment> #2105 Wings Over The Mountains of Life> -------------------------------------------------> > Eyes From Above> ================> > I walked into the store as I had done countless times before.> > There was nothing unusual about the night, just a routine stroll> down the aisles of commerce. My five and two-year-old sons were> with me.> > It was a huge store. You would know the name of the chain,> but the name doesn't matter.> > Bright lights, wide aisles, and full shelves made for an awesome> store. My sons naturally were interested in the toy section,> so there we strolled.> > The modern stores don't have many helpers like the old days.> I used to work in a drug store. My job was to price> merchandise, stock the shelves, sweep the floor, ring the cash> register, and watch customers.> > I didn't watch customers for fun. Customers would steal in the> old days. My job included helping customers find what they> wanted but keeping a watchful eye to make sure they paid for> what they found.> > Those old days came to mind as I wandered or rather was towed by> anxious kids down the huge aisles.> > How in the world do they keep people from stealing them blind?> There were no clerks or assistants watching us. What was to> prevent us from pocketing any number of tempting items?> > I looked around, not for the purpose of stealing anything, but> of scientific curiosity.> > How did they keep people from stealing?> > I knew the nature of people had not improved since I was a> clerk. People stole then and they steal now.> > This was an extremely successful chain. Surely they couldn't be> this trusting. Surely they couldn't be this benevolent that> they would simply allow people to have whatever they felt like> not paying for.> > Surely not.> > I am a scientist. I think. I analyze. I wonder. I seek> answers. I am a businessman. No people watching, plenty of> merchandise, a certain percentage of people who would take> advantage of inattention, successful chain stores, it didn't> fit. How could they trust so?> > They didn't. That much I knew. I know the commercial mind.> They couldn't and didn't trust people that much.> > So why was no one watching?> > I knew that couldn't be either.> > Maybe they were watching.> > If so, then how were they watching?> > I knew if they were watching it would have to be though video> cameras. I knew where they would need to be positioned.> > I looked up.> > Whoa!> > As many times as I had been in that store and similar stores of> the chain, I had never thought to look up. I walked beneath> totally unaware and unconcerned about the eyes above.> > As I looked up, I saw rows and rows of surveillance cameras.> > Somewhere between 100 and 200 cameras looked down as I surveyed> the roof of the huge store.> > If you didn't know already, you wouldn't know they were cameras> but I knew. Surveillance cameras are usually mounted behind> blue colored domes. You can't see in, but the camera can see> out. It can point in any direction, and you don't know if and> where it is looking.> > It can swivel, tilt, pan, and zoom. They can follow your every> move. They can zoom out to view the whole aisle or zoom in on a> pimple. Hundreds of them, and I never knew or guessed because I> never thought about it.> > It was a MountainWings Moment.> > Eyes from above that watched every move of those below.> > So many walk without realizing every move is observed and> recorded.> > Eyes from above.> > I walked differently once I saw the cameras. I had no intention> of ever doing anything wrong, with or without cameras; I just> walked differently knowing that someone could be watching every> single move that I made.> > It shouldn't have made a difference.> > But it did.> > We often go through life as if no one sees.> > As if no eyes from above are watching.> > Suppose we realized that?> > Every frown, every harsh word, every wrong deed, every good or> bad twitch of our minds and muscles...> > Recorded.> > Eyes from above.> > Encased in a blue canopy.> > It makes you walk differently once you realize that.> > It really does.> > > ~A MountainWings Original~> > > Send issue 2105 to a friend click http://www.ztaf.com/mw.htm> or simply click FORWARD on your email program> > Thank you for inviting MountainWings in your mailbox.> See you tomorrow.>