I’ve always prided myself on being fairly open minded.  I like to think I give the benefit of the doubt more often than not and I try my best to trust new people in my life until they do something that gives me reason not to.  However, I’ve recently learned a bit of a lesson relating to this subject.  It’s one thing to give someone a chance, to get to know someone before passing judgment, but it’s another to continue to allow someone chances just because you don’t have tangible proof something is awry, and despite the fact that there are hints in the form of huge red flags and bright, flashing neon signs around every corner warning that you ought to run quickly in the other direction.

As, “it is better to suffer wrong than to do it, and happier to be sometimes cheated than not to trust,” I’m going to continue to trust people and to even allow people to sometimes screw me over after I’ve put my trust in them. I don’t think it’s smart to become bitter and jaded and go around the world thinking everyone I meet has an agenda or ulterior motives in getting to know me.  That will only cause me to become a nasty, unfriendly human being, and I have no interest in being that sort of person.  If Anne Frank could feel that “…in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart,” surely I can continue to believe it as well.

You might think after this “revelation” I wouldn’t feel as I’ve stated above and I’d instead feel the opposite and decide to remove all trust from my life. No, I actually plan on adding more of it…this time in myself; my instincts.  Sometimes your gut tells you something is off, whether it’s referring to a situation or another person or whatever, and often times I think I ignore that gut instinct because I think I should be that super trusting, open minded, blah blah blah person.  I wait until there’s some concrete proof that the situation or person is shady, creepy, conniving…whatever the case may be, and I shouldn’t do that.  There’s something to be said for that little voice in the back of your head, often times it really knows the deal, and occasionally it’s better to simply listen to it, and without factual evidence, turn in the opposite direction, and never look back.

The universe likes to throw things or folks at us to shake things up, challenge us or just see how we’ll react (at least, it likes doing that to me) and this is how I’d like to respond…Universe, cheers for this most recent lesson you have taught me.  At this time, kindly take your shady people and your silly shenanigans and shove ‘em.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a trip to Australia to plan and enjoy.