Thoughts within and without

An old man stood his shoulders slightly stooped with old age and a plastic bag in his hand. The wrinkles in his eyes spoke of ages of accumulated wisdom whilst the tiny smile playing between his lips spoke of a life well lived.

Next to him was a small girl maybe 4 or 5 years old, most probably his grand daughter lobbying up and down beside him. Her eyes spoke of the innocence of youth whilst her hand which held firmly onto the old mans spoke of the tiny fear in her little heart of moving out into the unknown.

I did not know what they were thinking but my imagination filled in the gaps. I thought of the old man and postulated that he might be thinking of his life. His successes and his failures. His joys and his tribulations. His love lost and gained. Maybe he is thinking of the future. But I know not for those are thoughts without.

Maybe the little girl was thinking of the butterfly that was fluttering right next to her ear. Or of the breakfast she had that morning or of her boundless future. But I know not for those are thoughts without and not in my head.

But these were my thoughts within. I thought of the old man and the girl. I thought of their lives and their dreams within my head and those were my thoughts within.

I know not of thoughts outside my head, but I want to know. I want to hear the unfiltered thoughts exploding through the heads of the ocean of humanity.  I want to know the thoughts within and without so that I could learn thoughts really mean.