Trust is hard to gain, but simple to lose. In a world filled with secrets, how do we know who to trust and when to trust them? Is trust something that should automatically be given to each individual you meet and then taken away when broken? Or should we trust no one until they earn it? What does trust mean to you? If we asked a dictionary to define trust, it would say “reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence.”

As human beings we are sensitive individuals. We believe that we must look out for ourselves. We are unsure if anyone truly has our back. Does this make us selfish? Does this in turn leave us vulnerable? Trust is not about who is able to keep a secret. This is what we so often wrap it up with. Trust is knowing that someone will unconditionally go out of their way to stand by your side. It is believing that they will be honest with you in the hardest of times. There is purity that comes with trusting others.

Think of a pure element, such as gold. What you see is what you get. No matter the weather, the circumstance, or anything else happening around the gold; it is still gold. People can be like this too. They can be so pure that the circumstances around them do not change who they are. This trustworthy individual comes forward with their knowledge. They help you succeed. They do not disgrace your name around others. You give them the power to stick up for you when they hear others disrespecting your name. Just as in the definition, trust contains confidence.

Confidence in others and confident in yourself. If you want others to trust you, you’re going to have to be willing to bend in a storm without breaking. You need the integrity to defend the people that confide in you. This concept of trust is something we can push ourselves to work on every day. It is not easy to be that pure element. It comes with maturity. People often fail at first, but learning from each experience is important.

If a friend is willing to trust you, please take that to heart. Do not destroy that trust by failing to stand by their side through the roller coaster we call life. It takes a lot of time to get to that point. Trust should be nurtured and cared for. Hopefully I have opened your eyes and minds to a different perspective of trust. It is a concept that cannot be pinpointed in one single definition. It will forever grow and change. Remember that trust is hard to gain, but simple to lose.

"Learning to trust is one of life's most difficult tasks." --Isaac Watts

"The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them." --Ernest Hemingway