Trust

It's just a matter of trust........... or is it? What defines trust?

Think about the people you know..... those that you trust, and those that you do not trust. Chances are, your ability to trust each person stems from your experience and history with them. If you've known them for years, and they've never let you down, chances are you trust that person rather well. If you've only known them for a short while, and as of yet, they've done you no wrong, chances are that you will trust them to a certain extent - perhaps you're not yet willing to give them the key to your house, but you are willing to invite them over for dinner and not be nervous if they happen to end up alone in the same room with your most treasured possessions for a few moments.

But what about people you don't know? Sooner or later you find yourself in a situation, getting ready to enter into a transaction with another human being, and having to make a decision as to whether or not you are going to trust that person, or to what extent you will trust them. As you stand, peering curiously into the smiling face before you, in a matter of seconds, you reach a decision of "trust - and how much" or "do not trust". You may think you're relying solely on intuition in making that decision, but a lesson offered to me by the Gatekeeper indicates that there is a structured methodology behind your "intuitive" decision.

Having no history with this new person to rely upon, you make the decision to trust based on these factors:

* The person most likely will have some characteristics or mannerisms that will remind you of someone else you know. You will take the level of trust that you have with the "reminds me of" person, and enter it into your "trust" calculator. Think about it in these terms: "This person reminds me of So-and-So. I never could trust So-and-So. S/he always did me wrong and let me down, so there is a possibility that this person will let me down, too, as they are acting the same way that So-and-So used to act."

* The person most likely will represent or be aligned to a "role" in your life: perhaps "co-worker", "neighbor", "friend", "potential competitor for my mate's affections", or "potential mate for me". You will attach your general feelings of trust about folks that have fulfilled that "role" in your life to this new person. Think about it in these terms: "This new person is a co-worker. My current co-workers have always treated me well, so most likely this new person will treat me well, too." This level of trust will be added to the other figures accumulating in your "trust calculator".

* What do you stand to lose in the situation with the new person, and are you willing to risk that loss? You will consider the transaction, determine the worst possible outcome, and decide whether or not you can survive that loss. "What's the worst thing that can happen? I lose five bucks? That's no big deal. I can handle it." The risk acceptance factor is now added into your "trust calculator".

* Finally, there is energy and aura. Witches, Wiccans and pagans are intuitive people, easily picking up on the energies and aura the new person is emitting. Those energies will register "good and familiar", or "bad and dangerous" or perhaps somewhere in between. The energy factor is added into your "trust calculator".

The total calculation is sometimes arrived at in a matter of seconds, but sometimes you want to "think it over" for a few hours or days. Eventually, though, the "trust sum" is arrived at. You will either smile and shake hands with the new person, entering into an agreement with them, or you will gently withhold yourself until you can build a "trust" history with them. The agreement could range from something as simple as entering in a conversation with a potential new friend, or as complex as accepting the advice of a sales professional before making a large investment.

As time passes, and you gain history and experience with the new person, you will adjust your "trust sum" with that individual, sometimes raising it, and trusting more, sometimes lowering it, and trusting less. Throughout our histories of knowing various individuals, our "trust sums" kept in the banks of our friendships will vary, depending on the most current history we have with them.

A simple matter of trust? ............... perhaps, maybe more.

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