Tarheel,
My text is about the difference between the facts and fiction. How much do we really know about ourselves and the world around us? We believe we know much, but our knowledge is limited and affected by our emotions, prejudices and biases. Many people do not want to know the truth. They love to be ignorant because ignorance gives them peace of mind. I started my text with the description of an encounter which had really happened, and which taught me a lesson to be silent. Why even try to tell people something they do not want to hear? I cannot lie, because it would be dishonest, and I do not want to spoil their trip. Reality is not the same for people although they live beside each other. My life here is the worst part of my life, but for a student this is probably his or her best time. But we both live in a reality created by our minds. I have met people whose world view changes drastically because of an incident that suddenly happens in their lives, like illness, divorce, or when they discover that their father is not their real father. Their world collapses, and they need time to adjust themselves to a new reality. People talk and look at each other, but what they see is not a real person, but a picture created in their mind. And the picture is distorted because our senses and organs are not perfect.