A long, long time ago I took a class in university on the psychology of perception. Now that I am older I realize that I did not appreciate that course while I was in it. You see, I am learning that perception is a really huge part of each person’s reality. What one person sees can be completely different than what another might see of the exact same situation. Like the case with an armed robbery – five people witness the robbery – all five have a different story of what happened, all see it from their own personal perception. I have also learned that there are people whose perceptions cannot be changed with reason or even concrete, solid evidence. It’s almost like the stuff they see and process in their brains becomes a part of their reality, no matter how delusional it should happen to be. Is this where the mind slips from perception to paranoia? It’s like some people are unable to differentiate between what is real and what isn’t? I have come across a few people in my time that twist a story in their brain and spend so much time thinking about it that the story, however fantastical it may be, becomes a part of their reality. What isn't real, is truly real in their minds. It is now that I wish I could ask that psychology instructor what the hell is going on with some of these people. From all this I have also learned that, however hurtful the “stories” may be that these people weave, sometimes its just best to walk away and not even bother trying to reason with them. Just "smile and wave boys, smile and wave".
