Opinions, everybody has one, one's no more or less valid than another's. We all have differing perceptions and realities. How does that come about? Here is one of my favorite parables.
The Scene: Grandpa setting at the roadside with his grandson. It is a warm summer afternoon in eighteenth century Ireland. A traveller happened to pass by. He stopped and asked them. ‘Good day my good man, can you tell me how far is it to the next village?â€
‘About four miles†replied the old man.
‘Tell me good sir, what are the people like there?†he asked.
‘Have you been to the village back down the road?†asked the grandfather.
‘Yes†replied the traveller.
‘Well, what were the people like in the village?†asked the old man.
‘Oh, they were great, really friendly and welcoming.†said the traveller.
‘Well, that is good to hear,†said the old man, ‘and that indeed is how you will find the people living in the village you are travelling toâ€. The happy traveller starts walking to the next village.
Some time later yet another traveller walked by and stopping asked the old man the distance to the next village. ‘Four miles†said the old man.
‘What are the people there like there?†Asked the traveller in a somewhat grumpy manner.
‘Well sir, what were the people like in the village back down the road?â€
‘Oh, they were anything but friendly, not welcoming at all.†Replied the traveller.
‘Well,†said the old man â€I'm sorry to tell you that you will find the people in the next village much the same.†With that the unhappy traveller began walking towards the next village.
After a short while the little boy asked his Grandfather: ‘Grandpa, why did you tell the first man that the people living in the next village were nice, and then you told the second man that they werenâ€t nice? You must have told one of them a lie.
‘I told the truth to both of them†replied the old man. â€You see my boy, the way you approach and deal with people is often reflected in the way they respond to you.â€