First Impression!

Hello, Steemians. Today I want to talk about my first impressions. Before I begin, I would love to thank @okere-blessing for bringing this contest to reality because truly we all have experience with first impressions from others, and others have also experienced first impressions from our actions, but we don't have room to talk about this event, and now here we are sharing our experience with the world. Thank you once again, my demurring host, for this opportunity.

Yes, I have. I recall meeting a young man in my village and greeting him warmly, expecting him to respond to me in the same manner, but all I got was no response. This man walked away from me as if I did something wrong to him or he had issues with my family members. This made me feel bad and unhappy. I thought he was being rude but didn't know he was deaf and dumb (hearing and speaking disability).

I believe first impressions matter because they are a foundation or the tone used to perceive someone or something. It matters because that is what people will use to describe you even without knowing the true you until they get to know you. First impressions can either bring people into your life or take people out of your life; they can create an opportunity for you and can also take an opportunity away from you.

The experience with a deaf and dumb man was a recent experience and very impactful. Initially I felt annoyed by his lack of response, but when I realized he had a hearing and speaking problem, I felt so sorry and empathetic for the poor man. That's why it's good not to judge a book by its cover.

I would like to talk about how I found out about his condition; after the ghosting experience, I vowed in my heart not to greet him again. But on this fateful day this young man came to my father's compound with his group of friends. When I saw them, I thought they came for trouble, but when they came closer to the gate, I noticed the man was giving me signals to open the gate. He couldn't actually speak, but he was expressing himself using sign language.

They didn't actually come for trouble but came to see my dad concerning the upcoming election in my state and to register for the event since my father is the chairman of the village. I was shocked to my bones; even his friends who came with him all had the same physical disability. I quickly called my dad so he could attend to them while I assisted.

That day was the day I found out that deaf and dumb individuals could actually read and write. This also amused me because I thought they didn't do all these things. That's because I had never seen one before until that very day. They interacted with each other so well and happily and were trying to teach me some sign language. It was quite fun to have them around that day because they were interesting to be with.

To make a positive first impression, I think people should strive to be genuine, respectful, and considerate to others. It is also important not to rush into judgment based on limited information, misunderstanding, or the behavior and actions of others towards them because some actions may not be intentional.

In conclusion, I would love to say that this experience has taught me the importance of looking beyond initial impressions and being open to learning about others without judgment.

Thank you.

I invite @stevographix @dorismos @bettymiki to participate in this contest.