Trust The Trustworthy and Hone The Honesty

 Trust is a very serious term. It signifies much more than love. 

It is reliance and faith and assurance for support. Trust is the foundation.

Once trust is lost, there is no support and foundation and a relationship falls flat.

Trust is linked with honesty. Honest people are trustworthy.

A Sanskrit shloka I had read in high school comes to my mind. One of the lines was-

"One who trusts the untrustworthy is the most foolish or low-grade person." 

Personally, I have been a foolish person many times as I have trusted the untrustworthy and have been taken for a ride.

Trust can only be expected from trustworthy people.

But, who are trustworthy? How do we make the right selection? 

Who are responsible and can be relied upon?

In English, there is a saying- "Once bitten, twice shy."

We have trust issues and get seriously affected when the untrustworthy shake and break our trust.

Always believing in goodness of others, and being kind, honest and trusting has its own drawbacks.

But, my father always reminds me of the "ANYWAY" poem. No matter what the world does, be trusting and trustworthy anyway. By being and doing so, one may be that rare ray of hope - that trusting and trustworthy person others have perhaps been looking for all their lives! Who knows we can change the opinion of at least one person and inspire and influence their behaviour! 

This is like laying bricks to create a wall. One trust brick at a time and many hands, minds and bodies joining together for this task will construct a strong trust wall for our world. 

Mahatma Gandhi had said- "Be the change you want to see in the world."

Usually, people in high positions are looked up to.

Those in important and influential positions are believed e.g. doctors, media persons, professors, scientists etc.

Any information coming from such "credible sources" are referred and referenced and in turn serve as the foundation.

Today, it is sad to come across this report about "Honesty"- 

"HONESTLY? Harvard’s leading expert on honesty research has been caught fabricating research data in as many as 135 studies. The far-left Democrat has been put on leave as her co-authors attempt to unravel her lies." https://nypost.com/2023/06/24/harvard-behavior-scientist-who-studied-honesty-accused-of-fabricating-data/"

- @amuse on Twitter

When "experts" do this, what can we say about the general public?

Can ethics and values be so easily sacrificed at the altar of material gains and fame?

But, as this and several other such cases prove, sooner or later one may be caught. 

All the dishonesty will be exposed and trap. Then, the name and fame will vanish into thin air.

Meanwhile, people like you and me continue doing what we know and do...

Now, we have to think of the ANYWAY poem anyway!

May we all have the strength and wisdom to- Trust The Trustworthy and Hone The Honesty.

Will we get to see such a day when we do not have to ponder and wonder about the words in the poem- ANYWAY?

What do you feel? Please share your views below.