appreciation

thankful to the local bike-riding kids who noticed my son's red-wagon lemonade stand and, instead of bullying him, bought FIVE cups of lemonade to help a fellow "little man." It was very overpriced lemonade.

My son was thrilled. And a cynic's heart warmed a little.

gg baltimore.

🍋 🍋 🍋

Are there any genuinely kind people left on this planet? 🍋

Photographer • Storyteller • Artist • Mathematician • Stranger in a Strange Land • http://bio.site/mandolinaes • Website: mandolinaes.com

lots. don't let divisive propaganda fool you.

I don't watch TV, I don't listen to the radio. But what I see day after day, dealing with people, discourages me. The kind of people you're talking about, the ones who are genuine, kind, and thoughtful, should be the majority in this world. But sadly, they are the minority. So, when you come across one, it's unforgettable. It’s like a breath of fresh air in an atmosphere that feels stifled with indifference or hostility. I never forget those encounters because they restore a little bit of my faith in humanity, even if just for a moment.

Were the kids who bought lemonade from your son the same ones who looked like bullies the day before? 

It's funny how first impressions can be so misleading. It’s easy to fall into the trap of seeing the world through a lens of cynicism, especially when you live in an environment that always seems tense. Which is you city? (Just if you want to share)
But what you describe, that “tough guy theater,” shows there’s more beneath the surface. In the end, much people are playing some kind of role to protect themselves, to fit in, or just to avoid showing their vulnerabilities. The trick is recognizing that, despite what they project, there’s always a more real, softer version of themselves. That mix of cynicism, broken idealism, and realistic optimism you mention... I think that’s what keeps us sane in this daily theater.

i live in a frightening city. i'm a cynic. i'm a disappointed idealist. but in spite of all those things, i remain an optimist and a realist. the world /is/ better than it appears /and/ appearances can be deceiving.

before yesterday, these kids would glare at me as i drove by; tough guy stuff, nothing serious. judging from those narrow experiences I assumed they were bullies. they weren't. it's all just tough guy theater.

but theater nonetheless.