Trust...and its Repeated Violations...

A man who doesn't trust himself can never truly trust anyone else. -Cardinal de Retz, Memoires

I guess that's partially true, and partially utter rubbish. I would say that the quote may work in certain situations, or perhaps even as a rule of thumb, but in many, many situations that come to mind, I find this to be inaccurate at best. I trust myself in almost every situation to do what I believe to be right. At the same time, I find that every time I extend that same trust to others, it always come back repeatedly violated. It doesn't matter how close the friend, or what our relationship may be, it always come back very nearly destroyed. It makes me so sad. And every time it happens, I feel my heart sink deeply into my chest, feel as if it were about to burst, then the blood in my face drains (at least it feels so), and disappointment clouds my mind swiftly and without regard for my emotions. I know people are human, and I realize that they make mistakes, repeated and intentional lies and offenses are too much.
It must sound horrible to say, but it seems as though the more decide to trust people, the more you learn that you can't trust people. Sadly, it typically gets thrown back in your face, and what you end up thinking is that no one is safe and everyone suspect. It's a terrible position, I feel forced into. I think over the course of my life what I have learned is that I can trust God, my family, my pastors, and almost no one else, aside from a very select few friends (and their numbers seem to be dwindling quickly). I feel like crying. Perhaps it's my fault, maybe I trust to easily.

Do not trust all men, but trust men of worth; the former course is silly, the latter a mark of prudence.

Democritus (460 BC - 370 BC)

Anyone who goes through life trusting people without making sure they are worthy of trust is a fool. Yet there are people who may be trusted, men as well as women. There are are as many difference in their natures as there are flowers in these meadows.

Elizabeth Aston, The Exploits & Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy, 2005

You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you do not trust enough.

Frank Crane

It is better to suffer wrong than to do it, and happier to be sometimes cheated than not to trust.

Samuel Johnson (1709 - 1784)