Why do I trust this guy?
Almost everyday on Pole2Pole, well actually on all of my expeditions, you meet people that you’ve never ever met before. And will most likely never meet again. Someone totally unknown to you. He/she can be a thief, a murderer and a drug dealer…..but he can also be a friend for life, a god person or a priest. The thing is that; you really don’t know.
Still…everyday I trust people with my life. Some time ago in Nicaragua I met an owner of a hostel and he told me that the lock to the door was broken. But no worries, he will watch my stuff for me. I felt relieved that my new friend (since 5 minutes) was watching my life; passport, money, laptops and camera gear. He knew exactly what I had in my bags. Still I left him to have dinner and later I came back and everything was off course in place. I often asks people on the street if they can watch my bike while I go into the post office, or even watch my bags in the restaurant while Im going to the bathroom. Stupid?
I believe that people in general are very trustful, but I also believe that by trusting people and giving them a mission, like watching the bike, keeping a secret or helping you, he puts honor into the task and guards the mission with his life.
A person once said to me after I lost a lot of money trusting a friend who stole from me, that I now must have learned my lesson and not to trust people anymore. What kind of life would that be? Mistrusting people and think bad of strangers?
I still want to trust and help people. It gives you good karma.
Yes, I will probably get fooled along the way.
Yes, I will also get disappointed every now and then.
But I will win so much more.
So go out and trust people you don’t know and you will see how life will improve. Give and you will receive even more!
/ Johan Ernst Nilson
