Hey, you! Yeah, you. I see you.

No, that sounds creepy.

Maybe this is better: Hello from your friendly neighborhood onlooker!

Nope, that's worse.

My fellow people watchers feel my pain. Our pastime is generally frowned upon in polite society. We're told to either participate in whatever we're watching or to mind our own business.

For those of you who don't engage in people watching, I'm here to let you into the world of eyeballing.

I'm an avid people watcher and these are my confessions.

You don't see me or, if you do, your eyes flit over me. You go about your business and pay me no mind, which is just how I like it. I now have a front row seat to watch a snippet of your life unfold. I'm granted permission to enter your existence for a split second and to see the person who you hide from everyone else. I catch you with your guard down, honest and true.

As a people watcher, I'm an eye-witness to your shenanigans. I saw you turn excitedly to the woman who you thought was your mother and watched you try to play it cool. Do you remember when you nearly wiped out in that puddle after you scoffed at the "wet floor" sign? Then, you looked around to make sure that no one saw and shook off the embarrassment with an extra pep in your step. Guess what? I saw you. What about that time when you and your buddies tried to mimic that older gentleman's walk, only to have him stop abruptly and cause a collision as you all panicked, trying not to bowl him over? I was there and I laughed so hard that tears streamed down my face.

Human behavior is a fascinating thing. People watching helps my writing and I'd argue that it makes you a better person. Every person has a life story wrapped up inside of them, full of tragedy, miracles, and complexity. I'm afforded a brief glance as he passes by and I grasp at the threads of what makes this man unique.

Each person's walk is different. You've got your frumpy slouching, your peppy high-stepping, and your frantic rushing. There's also the ambling, strolling, parading, traipsing, sauntering, racing, skipping, shuffling, trudging, strutting, sprinting, scooting, and crawling.

Each person's face tells a different story. What caused that woman to grimace and turn away from her phone? Why did his face fall and then light up so brightly? Who haunts her? What gives him hope?

Their bodies are just as fascinating. What made them embrace that tenderly, that gingerly? How did he gain his limp? Why did they brush past each other without stopping?

People watching opens a window into an individual's life. I become invested in their story. This trivialized hobby encourages compassion and greater understanding of humanity. By watching others' body language and facial expressions, I better understand my own. By wondering, I am exercising my imagination.

If you want to enter our world, here's some advice.

The trick to becoming an excellent observer is to be unobtrusive enough that people forget that you're there. In other words, let your inner wallflower shine!

Next time when you find yourself traveling, stop yourself and look around. We're lurking in the corners of coffee shops and standing in plain sight. We hear your jokes when no one else does. We are perceptive and patient. We are interested and inquisitive. We're here to stay.