We live in Berlin. We live in a neighborhood called Neukolln in Berlin.  We live in Weserkeiz in that neighborhood.  We live on a street called Innstrasse. In our building we live on the first floor (second floor to people from the US reading) and we live above a bar called Du Beast. In the photo above you will see this bar on the corner and the balcony just above it to the left is our balcony last year.  I have since added some lovely plants to line our balcony for this season. 🙂

In that bar, which is a great little bar and we really enjoy it and the people in it, just on the right hand side you will notice a wall of windows.  The door to get into our building is to the right of those windows. In those far right windows of the bar, there is a table and bench in the window that looks out on the street.

I call this place the “Window Tableau.”  When the bar is open and we walk by, it is always a treat to see who is sitting in the window and magically so many people think that they can see out and we can’t see in.  There are so many couples who take that chance to sneak away and kiss on each other.  So many people watching us as well.  There are heated conversations and staring out.  There are so many different people..singles, couples, groups, etc.  There are varieties of ages and varieties of ethnicities, varieties of beverage choices.  I start to even play a game of what I think they may be talking about. It is people watching to the next level.

A few months ago, while Ana and I were just downstairs treating each other to a drink and waiting for a program that happens down there every Thursday run by one of our friends (how convenient!) we noticed the window seat was open! We looked at each other and ran to the seat. Neither one of us had ever sat there and looked from the other side of the window.

We sat down with my red wine and A’s gin and tonic (our go to beverages in a bar) and looked out in wonder. There it was. Our street and yet it was so cool to see it from our new perspective.

From the new perspective!

It is amazing how a little twist our turn or reversal can allow us to see in a totally different way. It’s the same street. The one we walk down many times a day and the one where we see others staring at us. And he we were imagining the other way around.  It was kind of surreal for both of us and really quite a treat.  We talked and talked about it. 🙂 It made us realize for just a moment what it was to be on the other side if only through a window. How many other ways can we use this trick in turning tables and windows and perspectives? How would it give us a different point of view, more empathy, more humility and definitely more understanding?