An example of observation in the wild

By Gregory Colvin

When in the woods, parks, or at the beach, you may have watched wildlife.  These creatures are continually looking around, alert to every sound or movement. They search all around, their ears perk up and they smell the air.  Observation and  a sense of scent are what keeps an animal alive.

Observation goes beyond just looking, but really seeing what is happening around you. People have become unaware when it comes to what is happening around them.  We have a feeling that we live in a bubble of security. We think that we are safe within this bubble, called civilization.  I hate to be the one to tell you, but that bubble is not as safe as you would like to think.  There are predators out there that want what you have.  It may be your cash, your car or anything that you have that they don’t.  And if they think that you are valuable enough,  there is a chance that they may kidnap you for a ransom.

One of my favorite videos is the man walking along the street texting on his cell phone and he walks into a pole.  Of course I feel sorry for the guy, but it points out that there is a time and place for everything.  Just walking across the street talking on a cell phone or texting, could lead to an untimely end.

Some examples of things that should perk your ears:

A vehicle pacing your movements

A pedestrian who stops when you stop

When walking alone or in a group, look around. Does it appear that someone is matching you and your groups movements? They may be.  Use shop showroom windows as mirrors. I used to read a lot of spy novels and one method used to determine if there was a tail (someone following you) was glancing into the inside corner of your sunglasses and often you can see who is behind you.  It does work.  Get a good look at who is following you.  Stop frequently and change direction and if they are still there, it is a pretty good indication that you should get help in a hurry.  Any reflective object will work.  Cosmetic mirror, a mirror in a showroom, or a waterfall fountain in the park.  Any reflective surface.

Paranoia says you, caution says I.  These days there are cell phones that can alert emergency responders to your location.  When in doubt, shout out. It is not as civilized out there as you think.

Your survival is up to you.

Gregory Colvin is former police officer, author and student of human behavior.