Over the past few weeks I've tried to maintain a positive attitude. But something happened that has me shaken up.
I want to share it with you, however I cannot share the details. I am O.K. and thankfully I was not physically hurt. As bad as it feels, I know I was protected because it could have been far worse. Yet the incident has me dealing with anxiety.
Although I cannot share much about that night, I feel compelled to share something because I do not want it to happen to anyone else. I want to pay the knowledge and awareness forward.
So, here are a few paragraphs from "The Time Traveller's Wife," that have remained in my memory and helped me on what was a terrible evening:
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| from pp. 49-50 of "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger |
If there is one thing you learn from reading that, I hope it is this: Kindness is a mode of behavior. Kindness can be camouflage. The boogie man might just be cloaked in kindness.
I hope those words help you to immediately react should someone like that cross your path.
Be careful out there my deep thinkers.
Sounds scary. I hope you are well.
ReplyDeleteThank you. It was. And I am.
DeleteLi, I hope you're OK. I don't often see people write about the camouflaging of kindness. We all know it's out there, but, perhaps, because we're all guilty of it in some way we'd rather not think about it.
ReplyDeleteHowever, your angle is very interesting. For many of us who take a positive approach to each day there is the inherent belief that people are good. Living in NY, if you thought otherwise you may become a prisoner of your own doing.
But these grifter-types who betray us with their seemingly kind behavior only for us to realize later it was all a ruse, they etch at our belief in the good of humanity. We all know there are thieves out there. But we expect them to be lurking and wearing a mask or have some other tell-tale sign of being a bag guy.
Kindness is supposed to be pure, and the situations you shared adulterate that pureness. That's hard for people like you and I who, each day, work to be positive and see the best in people and spread love and happiness. Cloaking deceit in kindness is low, but we can't let those people take away our trust in the goodness and love we know.
Thank you Sara. You're 100% right. We can't let people take our trust in that goodness. I always want to see the best in people. And this incident has placed a scar on that aura of faith and trust I have in people. I'm working on the healing. xo
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