Contemplating trust, the first thing that comes to mind for me is the Waze app on my Samsung phone. That app has NEVER let me down, NEVER steered me wrong, consistently has guided me around traffic jams and police traps, always to be trusted. What or who else in my life can I put on that same pedestal? Hmmmm, (long pause time lapses) There must be someone or something, "I know, got it, my dogs!" Well, now that I think about it, not really, Luna the bernese Mountain Dog is amazing, and fun loving, however she can not be trusted around any kind of food. Luna has an insatiable appetite and it has taken her out of the " to be Trusted" running. Sugar, the Great Pyranese rescue dog, trusts no one and as a result cannot be trusted herself. Sugar has fears about trucks, being taken away, my neighbors dog, new obstacles in our home....the list goes on and on. She could attack the neighbors dog, wiggle out of her leash and run away, or pee on our rug as a result of her fears so is definitely out of the running.
People are really difficult to completely trust. loved ones who have my best interest at heart may tell white lies to protect my feelings. I get that, and I am guilty of the same behavior. Often, I find myself wanting to be trusted by others, but realize their concern. Am I truthful, honest and forthcoming? Do I always have the friends best interest at heart or do I consider myself, and our relationship in the equation. That is to say, do I consider myself first and the consequences of my honesty then steer my support in a certain direction due to this struggle. If I were truthful and completely honest, I could jeopardize a friendship or a family relationship. Strangers are difficult to trust because, well, they are strangers. We know nothing about them and their intentions. As children, we are taught "stranger danger" and how can you trust danger? Our fears make it nearly impossible to trust someone we do not know. But there are a few exceptions to this rule, anyone wearing a medical, police, firefighter or religious uniform. Again, as children we are urged to trust them and when in trouble to seek help from a uniformed professional, as they can be trusted. However, there are numerous instances (many of which appear on the daily newscast) where this trust may be erroneous. So once again, who can you trust other then your waze app? The answer seems complex yet so simple. Always trust your inner guide. Not the back and forth voices in your head, but the true guide that lies deep within behind all of the fear, judgement and inner bullshit. To access this inner guide it's important to get quiet, and to connect with yourself. Getting outside in nature can help with this, walks on a vast beach, or in the dense woods can help clear your head and center you. Ask yourself open ended questions such as: What if....? How can I....? Open ended questions will help you call something into your consciousness that you may not be aware exists. Many times the answer lies somewhere in your subconscious, hidden beneath layers of learned expectations and fears. This process, over time, can assist you in uncovering your "truthful" self. So to summarize, Always trust the Waze App, and it might help to plug in a destination to nowhere so you can be alone in nature and figure it all out.