Trust First or Trust Last?

There are two types of people in this world, those who instinctively trust someone right from the start, giving them the full benefit of the doubt, and those who believe that everyone should be mistrusted until they have proved themselves trustworthy.  Neither is wrong, but I believe the latter is the sad reality of the society we've grown to know.  Far too often people are untrustworthy and prove it on a daily basis giving way to no one ever being able to fully trust anyone any more.

There is something in each of us that determines which category we will fall under; the way we've been raised, the experiences we had, or just the complex natural make up of who we are. Some start out one way and throughout their lives find themselves on the other side and others do not allow their pasts to break their trusting nature. Experience goes a long way in that respect. 

If you spend your lifetime never trusting anyone I believe that would be a very lonely existence. I, for one, do not want to live my life always looking over my shoulder for the possibilities of what "could happen".  I enjoy living in each moment and seeing where that takes me. Most of the time I am pleasantly engulfed in all new wondrous adventures while gaining lifetime friendships with people who do maintain my trust. For those few who have proven themselves untrustworthy, "I'm sorry, what were your names again?", the insignificance of who you were has me at a loss.