Reminder

While I don't truly fear you becoming a bitter individual as a result of
these negative experiences, I do feel the highlighted section below is now
more appropriate than ever.

One must keep their eyes open and use all of the wisdom they possess when
they trust. Just as I suggested that positive experiences can cause one's
level of trust to grow exponentially, negative experiences can cause
irreparable harm. If you trust blindly or too willingly and that trust is
violated it colours every aspect of your life. There are too many people in
this world that have become bitter and cynical, not because they were born
that way but, because they handed out trust haphazardly and too many times
that trust was thrown back in their face. I don't mean to suggest from the
above that one should live in a day-to-day mind-set of distrust but rather
that they must really look at people and all the aspects which they posses.
I have come to the conclusion that if you spend most of your time observing
and listening to people rather than always taking the lead you will learn a
great deal more about them and their character. The smallest acts and
statements can in fact say the most, so always be observant. (This includes
listening to what others have to say and paying attention to the opinions of
people whom you respect.)

To that end I have one last comment...I am constantly amazed and periodically
reminded what fragile creatures we humans are. That beyond the hype and
self-grandizing the basic components of ourselves (our experiences, fears,
cares, concerns, needs etc.) cannot be completely disregarded and will always
be a part of us. I think that only by recognizing those components and
trying to understand their origin can we truly become stronger.