There Will Be Signs.....

Hello. This is my first time entering this contest series thanks to @impersonal who brought my attention to it, indirectly.

(AI art)

Sometimes we are not aware of who we are talking to. They may seem serious and attentive but actually they have some hidden motive for appearing to be interested. How they can take advantage. A type of manipulation. Either for money or sex or whatever. Anything other than just the joy of communicating and sharing realizations and experiences in a loving exchange.

It's tricky. And it can take a little while before it becomes clear what is going on as they try to entangle you and gain power over you. A kind of seduction that leads to a deep dark well and suffocation of the spirit.

This happened recently. I thought to try to help an acquaintance that has some physical limitations. A kind of arthritis.

I offered to take them shopping once a week. We did this for some time. But the one hour shopping turned into an almost all day event. I could feel the entanglement starting. They were treating me like I was so wonderful. Everything I said or did was wonderful. A kind of intoxication for the false ego. I started to feel very uncomfortable. Drained.

Then it became more needs. And then more needs. Way more than I could handle. And I began to feel badly. Like I was doing something wrong by not fulfilling all the new needs.

I finally realized what was happening and very gracefully explained how I was not able to take them shopping. But I hoped someone else would be able to.

It's not always clear who you are talking to right away. But there will be signs and when the signs appear it's time to find the door.

Link to contest: https://steemit.com/hive-180106/@suboohi/contest-alert-1-picture-1-story-week-75

Maybe you would like to write something: @jeff-kubitz @enrisanti @sheikhtuhin