The Dual Nature of Trust

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Elderly relatives regale us with stories about having "seen life." How pals conspire to ruin each other when someone is about to succeed because they are jealous. How our friendly companions might be plotting our downfall behind our backs. We get used to looking out for ourselves all the time in case we get stabbed in the back. These stories are seldom unique. It will damage you to trust. Someone we once held in the highest regard may have wounded us, so we conclude that not trusting is safer because of the discomfort it brings. I disagree, though. It's true that trust can be harmful or even deadly, but the same is true of everything else in existence.

Consider automobiles, the results indicate that there are an estimated 3700 car accident deaths worldwide every day. Even though autos can kill people, we still take taxis and purchase cars. I believe that living is inextricably linked to the idea of trust. It might be argued to be the cornerstone of a meaningful life.

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Giving up on trust is like to giving up on life. Being able to trust is human. Life is not without risk. Nevertheless, we trust in one way or another every day without even realizing it.

We purchase a bottle of Coke and drink it without thinking about the expiration date because we have faith in the seller not to sell us stale products and, more importantly, in Coca-Cola not to sell us poison. What about the druggist? We have faith in them to provide us with drugs that will treat our illnesses. Not those who turn us pills into grotesque creatures.

But when it comes to company, we become acutely aware. When we encounter a stranger, our walls rise. When that stranger turns into "a friend," the barriers may slightly fall but they never completely come down.

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Every time they do anything kind, we wonder why they do it and whether their love is sincere. We maintain a distance from them even after everything seems to be in order to avoid the possibility that they will harm us in the future.

We are often imprisoned by the walls we build around ourselves. An incarceration of ourselves that keeps us from knowing what it's like to be truly vulnerable with someone. Being vulnerable with ourselves makes us wary. We fear that the people we allow in will break us and leave us in parts irreparable.

But when we let some people in, I think we could also discover parts of ourselves in them. Although it may be safer, being distrustful won't lead to cooperation. Have faith that you will. This ladder might be your lifeline out of a burning building. If we all choose not to trust, the world would most likely be in peril. After years of always thinking about yourself, I think it would be difficult to live with a stiff neck.

Occasionally, a hand rather than a knife is placed on your back. One to fortify you throughout difficult times. Shared happiness may taste richer and make carrying hardships easier. You will suffer from trust. But in my opinion, it's an essential aspect of existence.

Give my words some thought, Say no to backstabbing and I hope you learn how to trust.