The benefit of trust
Today is our last day in Sri Lanka. It has been the right amount of discovery and adventure, plus two weeks of surfing.
On our first afternoon in Kandy, we were scammed. A young man picked us out of the crowds and pretended he knew us from our hotel before cajoling us into a shop. It wasn’t a bad scam, as we ended up with our money back – but it felt horrid and dirty. The whole schtick was to be helpful, followed by confusion, and pressure. When we went back to return our goods and get a full refund, we had to fight hard. I was prepared to go to the full extreme. Even though the police are supposed to be corrupt in Sri Lanka, it was the threat of police and us walking out the door that turned the tune. It was not a threat. We were going to get the police.
I know this happens in many places in the world. I know it is mostly driven by poverty. Yet it turns your experience of a country sour.
People seeking to be kind or helpful would rather lie than not know. And almost everyone is out to get you for something. I do understand why. The poverty is terrible, and the people are still trying to recover from the political unrest two years ago.
Yet I have reached a place where it is hard to trust what anyone says. The discernment is key.
Bamboozlement is a powerful weapon. Preying on trusting people is another.
When our operating system is to give people the benefit of trust first, it can be hard to approach with caution.
Or perhaps, give people the benefit of trust, with all antennas up and discernment present. That polarity and tension again. It can be exhausting.
To walk the streets free of any personal guard is an experience to be valued and never taken for granted.
Photo Taken August 31st 2024
