This reminds me of a story ...
A young man visits Los Angeles in search of a new home. While walking the streets in South Central LA, he sees an old man. He stops to talk, "Say, Mister, I am thinking about moving here - but, I am a little concerned, I heard that crime here is among the worst in the country, there are gangs, and people get mugged and murdered every day! Will I find that everyone is unfriendly, unhelpful and criminal?" The old man replied, "yes you will." The young man hung his head and walked away."How could the old man be right in both instances? It's simple, the attitudes we project on to others produces the biases and prejudices we cling to tightly. If we want the world to be a better place, we have to create, within ourselves, the expectation that it is true.
A little time later, another young man approached and asked, "Say, Mister, I am thinking about moving here - I heard some wild stories about the people. I heard that neighbors greet you with a smile, people dance in the street, they go to church on Sunday and welcome newcomers with open arms, is that true?" The old man replied, "yes it's true!" The young walked away smiling and whistling.
