Is Deception Now the New Normal?
To help defray costs, we Airbnb out our Florida winter home. Airbnb has a rating system for both hosts and guests, helping owners like me accept or reject prospective guests. Owners are rated on things like cleanliness, whether the property matches the pictures on the website listing, value for the money and so forth. Guests are rated on things like whether the rules were followed, did they treat the property respectfully (or did they trash the place?), and whether you would rent to them again.
Our place is listed at four occupants maximum. Further in the body of our written listing, it is again reiterated that "the occupancy limit of four is strongly enforced." There is also a no-pet policy. Well, you guessed it! The last guests were slick about how they smuggled two extra guests in because all people must be identified at the front gate for check-in.
I have a Ring camera pointed at the front door. Typically, on the day of check-in, I watch the guests arrive. I take a head count and sometimes chuckle to myself about what they move in, always alert for air mattresses and sheets. Everything about the last guest was copacetic. I then turn the camera off until check-out day to be sure what was moved in are the only things moved out, and to let the cleaners know the property is ready to be cleaned. I was in shock when I rebooted the camera at 6:00 a.m. the day of departure to find an adult male who was not part of the original four registered guests walking a golden retriever down the steps and then back up the steps ten minutes later.
After the horror of the fact that I was hoodwinked about the number of guests and the furry beast, I received a text full of pictures of dirt, damage and other examples of property disrespect. This guest had a rating of 4.75 out of 5 stars from 15 previous stays. Certainly, this wasn't the first time these guests were deceitful. And talk about deceit! They had to have checked in, left the property to pick up two extra people and the dog after dark, when I had shut the camera off.
The cleaning lady charged more (the place was a disaster), they used two new plush towels on something greasy outside and burned a ring in my countertop. Not to mention, there was dog hair everywhere. The cleaning crew found a receipt for an air mattress amongst the rubble, and they broke a stationary lamp.
Okay, you say, the cost of doing business. But what about truth? And as if that wasn't enough, the next guest's tribe had five guests as well. I caught them at the front door. When confronted the first night of their stay, the reply was, "It's only my three-year-old granddaughter. Surely she doesn't count." Really? Five people are five people.
More deception.
Okay, I get it! We live on a planet of good and evil. If I'm being deceived, then I must be deceiving someone, somewhere. We actually get to choose whether we live the good life or the shallow life. Apparently, I've been on the fringes of untruth myself to be on the receiving end of it from others. I'll introspectively deal with that.
What’s in your introspective wallet? Look around you and you’ll see what’s begging for an internal upgrade.
Just sayin’.
AFFIRMATION: I strive to be truthful in ALL things
“I'm Catherine Wilcox, working to help others see that God is in all things, all the time, through conscious change and self-healing.”
If you have found this message enlightening, please send it to one friend. This action will help my vision of a more enlightened species to help usher in the new healing Age of Aquarius.
Catherine Wilcox is a Conscious Change Coach, Mentor, emotional intuitive and Writer. If you like what you read here, then you may enjoy one of her Published Books:
· God is in the Details 2.0 (COMING SOON)
· Sacred Space (COMING SOON)
· Sacred Relationship (COMING SOON)
**Catherine’s latest Book, The New Stone Age, Crystal Data for the 21st Century, contains ten chapters of information designed to help the novice and intermediate crystologist obtain the secrets to working with crystals to help the four mind-bodies balance chaotic energy.
· Mineral Speak, the Language of Minerals - (COMING SOON).
· Planet Speak: The Language of Planets – (COMING SOON)
· Cosmic Speak: The Language of the Cosmos – (COMING SOON)
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