Getting swayed in your thoughts when you hear stories

@thesids (22180)
Bhubaneswar, India
May 6, 2016 3:25am CST
Hello On my last discussion I had narrated an incident involving me, a biker and a blind man. I had also mentioned that the biker had been a victim of a robbery some months back when an imposter faking a blind man asked him for a ride and en route had robbed him. (link to the earlier discussion beneath). Now, the entire episode and the interactions on that discussion had me thinking. I felt really bad about the fact that the story of the biker made me feel insecure about that cab driver for a while instead of the blind man. The man was genuinely blind and as it was late evening, the cab driver could have robbed him or even hurt him. If I had to think, why I did not think about the blind man's safety. I feel I lost my focus for a while and the objective of helping a blind man was marred because I heard an incident, got concerned about the safety of the cab driver. In my opinion, this should not have happened. When I told this to the people around in my real world, they said, I am crazy (as always, nothing new with this one - I know, I am someone who always has his own skewed and crazy thoughts). Now, as you know the story and what followed, I would love to read your opinion and views in context of the question (or my thoughts) I have asked above. EDIT: As I had helped him cross the roads and also get the cab, I should have been more confident about his being a genuine person, sadly that did not happen. Which makes the think and feel, I am less confident than I used to be Cheers. Sid.
Hello[em]happy[/em] So yesterday wifey asked me to get some stuff from the mall at the other side of the road. As I was on my way, I saw a guy stopping a biker...
14 people like this
14 responses
@toniganzon (72281)
• Philippines
6 May 16
I think there was nothing wrong when you thought of the cab driver first because it was a normal reaction one would have upon hearing the story of the biker.
3 people like this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
6 May 16
yes Toni, I do understand that. It was the story and probably my reaction to it was normal. But doesnt is somewhere show that I was not confident about what I was or had done? I mean, I had helped this man cross the road, even got him the cab, paid for it. Somewhere I felt it was lack of self confidence.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (72281)
• Philippines
6 May 16
@thesids I don't consider that lack of confidence. Hearing the story from the biker would make me doubt too.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
6 May 16
I think your reaction was quite normal - the biker's story would of course make you wonder about the blind man. The main thing is that you did help the man, and that shows compassion. I'm so glad that this blind man was a genuine person, and he was grateful to you.
2 people like this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
6 May 16
Some years back, when I was working and better in health, I had approached the blind school to allow me train them in using computers... and sadly they had denied. But during this small time when I had frequented and interacted with the students there, I felt that they are more honest and more expressive than many of us. The do not wear masks like us and live their feelings. Agreed, there was always a sense of depression but for that I think the school was responsible - where they were (and sadly even today) not given the right opportunities. As such, I could not, but trust this man. And I would have been really shocked if he was any imposter. Maybe something they say, a life changing event.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
9 May 16
@thesids I'm intrigued to know how a blind person could use a computer? Would it all be voice activated?
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@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
9 May 16
@jaboUK Yes, there are some voice synthesizers and now windows 7 + come prebundled with speech recognition and Speech to Text software. back then, we had to install them along with MS Office or otherwise. Also, there are some printers that will print in Braille (agreed, these are way too expensive than normal printers, but the options are around). There are some virtual braille keyboards too (basically an add on that you lay out on your normal keyboard and they add the braille letters on the regular keys).
1 person likes this
@hora_fugit (5862)
• India
7 May 16
You had thought all this in advance, even if subconsciously. So, the worry about the cab driver was just an extension of your concern towards others. Why should he get the raw deal in this matter... just because he wasn't blind as well? And for all that matters, we can very unknowingly help criminals too... our act does not make them all goody goody. Think how Peter Parker felt when he found out what the man he helped had done... :)
1 person likes this
• India
7 May 16
@thesids Oh, so someone DID notice! I had all the tabs open but was not in a mood to conjure up words in the night. And all were still open, coz there had to be replies. "Goodwill" - something I accumulate in my bank and use for helping con artists. :) But then I know they are not goody goodies. ;)
1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
7 May 16
I had not thought about the ill sides or the safety of the driver until the biker told me what happened with him. What later made me think was the fact that until the moment I had known that there could be an ill side, all was fine, I had only the blind man in my mind, his reaching to the school. But just one story made me think the other way. Somehow, I felt, it was related to my lack of confidence - something like - you know you are doing something, and then someone tells you something and you start thinking over what you were doing is that really good or bad. on another note, you liked the discussion sometime last night (IST) and replied now... just curious... what took you that long? Did you watch Peter Parker by coincidence
1 person likes this
@Sreekala (34312)
• India
6 May 16
Dear Sidhu, Fortunately nothing bad happened. The blind man reached safely, the cab driver behaved well and also showed responsibility to inform you about the blind me. For your crazy thoughts, there are so many things would happened. Since you met the biker you got scared on the safety of the cab driver, else you would not bothered, am I right? Now you learned blind man was real and cab driver helped me him to reach the person safe. So you just thought on opposite. In my opinion don't you have anything other things to think about? Let us think on the positive sides
2 people like this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
6 May 16
Hello didi Right, that is what my point is. I should have stayed positive and those thoughts that originated after the biker's story should not have come to mind. As I had helped him cross the roads and also the cab, I should have been more confident about his being a genuine person, sadly that did not happen. Which makes the think and feel, I am less confident than before.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (166757)
• Boise, Idaho
7 May 16
It is truly hard to be fully confident about things in this life anymore. Sad,
2 people like this
@celticeagle (166757)
• Boise, Idaho
7 May 16
@thesids ..Yes, in those things that you can depend on.
1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
7 May 16
I get that. I should make myself stronger in my beliefs...
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 May 16
honestly it's a sad world when we have to question the safety of everyone all around us, best we can do is stay alert, listen to that little voice that warns us with something is off, be be prepared to defend if needed and try not to live in fear
1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
7 May 16
Ah yes, that voice within us, the 6th sense. It should be taken into consideration too.
1 person likes this
• Centralia, Missouri
7 May 16
@thesids it's always based on things, even if we dont know what those things are
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
20 May 16
I would have probably done the same as you did. At least the blind man was helped by you and that is a good thing.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
10 May 16
you are a human being and we none of us areperfect I wo u ld hav had the same reactiongb ased on the story of the blind man being a sort of bandit. You did the best you cou ld w ith the information you had been given.
@much2say (55574)
• Los Angeles, California
20 May 16
At that moment, it wasn't certain that the man was genuinely blind. I would have had the same thoughts and would have been more concerned about the cab driver because of the biker's story too. It's not that you lost focus, you just instantly became cautious as anyone would feel when hearing such a real life experience from someone personally. And you're not crazy (well, I think we're all crazy in some way, but that's another story ). You are a compassionate person with a lot of heart and empathy for others - no one can ever fault you for that. In hindsight, you may feel guilty that you had any suspicions at all for this blind person, but the thing is we DO have to be careful with anyone . . . anything is possible in this crazy world - bad things CAN happen (as it did for that biker). In any case, it worked out for all parties and that is what is important. You can be confident that you did help a blind man to get to his destination regardless of what anyone thought.
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
30 May 16
I think what you did was a genuine desire to help , seeing a blind man . You didn't wonder if he is pretending or really blind . I guess , i would do the same too , but once i have heard of scrupulousness like that , i would not help anymore , but look for someone in authority who can help.
@LadyDuck (471356)
• Switzerland
9 May 16
When accident happens I am also concerned by the story and people involved. I can understand that you did not feel confident. It's impossible to know if a blind man is really what he pretends or if he fakes his disability to rob you. I am sure that it's in human nature not to feel confident.
• United States
6 May 16
sadly, one doesn't really know whom to trust these days. con artists're quite good't their "game". ya made the right choice though 'n i'm proud'f ya fer doin' such. don't let those folks get to ya, hon. yer not crazy, yer jest passionate 'n compassionate - perhaps qualities they somehow lack. so many'n society world-wide these days seem to not lift a finger, nor give a thought 'nless they can be rewarded somehow. takes a kind heart to not think'f those matters. big hugs 'n give that sweet babe a hug from me's well :)
1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
7 May 16
Long back I watched on some movie - and she said - There are two kinds of people around on the planet - Good and Bad. sadly, I feel the number of bad is on the rise today and when you try doing something good - they either try negging you or even telling you that you should not be doing good. I surely will pass on your hugs to the baby --- I get another chance to do it hadn't it be their superstitious beliefs, I would have posted more about her... anyways, a month and a half more to go... and I am counting the days for sure.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317040)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
7 May 16
It is natural to feel some concern for the cab driver after hearing the story from the biker about an incident that happened to him. I'm glad everything turned out okay.
1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
7 May 16
Yes, the end result was that all were safe. That is what is the pleasant thing.
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@just4him (317040)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
7 May 16
@thesids And the important thing.
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@Daljinder (23236)
• Bangalore, India
6 May 16
That is sure a thing to ponder. Why the blind man's safety did not cross the mind? I guess what we see and hear influence our thought process. You heard a bad incident so your thoughts first went to cab driver's safety. Because you linked that driver with biker. Both situations had blind man in common. So, it was a natural reaction. And in the end what matters is that you did realize your folly and made me realize too... thanks for that!
1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
6 May 16
Strange that some stories (experiences) of others affect our thoughts. I found this entire thing weird. Years back, I might not have even bothered about the bikers version
1 person likes this