TRUST

6 December 2015

TRUST.

5 letters.

1 syllable.

Essential.

Dwight used to tell me, “I know my real friends because they are honest with me. They tell me the truth, even when it is something I might not want to hear.”

Without trust, there cannot be a relationship.

Trust requires honesty. Honesty is not simply telling the truth; it is refraining from omitting the facts and, doing what Dwight said, being honest.

In school, with my classes, we practice “trust falls.” Trust is essential. One must be able to count on others to be there, to be present, to be kind.

Last night, when sleep eluded me, I realized that my dogs trust me. They know I will feed them, love them, walk them, and give them shelter. They never question my allegiance to them.

However, Gus was rescued from a puppy mill. Somewhere in his first three years of life, a child squeezed him too tight. He could not breathe. He lived in a cage. He did not know love.

It took him a long time to trust me. Gus has been in the Hooker Horde for almost seven years. He still does not trust children.

My neighbor had an affair. To regain trust, she became transparent. She left her phone on the kitchen counter without a passcode for two years.

Last night, I realized that without trust, I couldn’t love fully. It is my responsibility to expect and demand bold-faced honesty.