On Trust. And Why Not?

I do recognize that some deceptive people think that trusting people are stupid, but you and I know who the joke's really on, don't we? No need to lend our stamp to that attitude!

I'm entirely trusting. My one stipulation is I try not to act impulsively on it, right out of the box. That alone keeps me pretty well protected from my colossally bad judge of character! My comfort level seems to have instituted its own natural waiting period. I've had to stay within certain limits, in order to keep from losing my natural gullibility, which I prize. For one thing, I don't lend money - yeah, yeah. So easy to take the moral high road, when you're broke all the time from incessant gourmet dining!

But anyway, if someone is "fooling me," and all they get out of it is my belief - well, I fail to see what they have to gloat about, there. What's their profit on that? My belief comes CHEAP! It surges and flows from the mother lode - there is a vast supply more, where that came from.

It costs me nothing to believe, to trust, and so why not? If some fool wants to prove himself so, telling a bunch of lies, which I swallow so sweetly and credulously with a trusting smile - well what's it to me? No skin off my apple! So to speak.

There is a lovely story told of St. Thomas Aquinas - so renowned for his later theological leaps and feats of reason that we forget that in school he was considered to be exceptionally stupid, and that they called him "The Dumb Ox."* As the story goes, one day Thomas was in the classroom, and 3 of his fellows came running to him, saying "Thomas, Thomas! Come to the window quick, the cows are flying!" Thomas ran to the window and looked out!

- to the laughter and the ridicule of the others, who mocked him for his gullibility.

Thomas meekly replied "I would rather believe that cows could fly than that brothers would lie."

Now, I have my suspicions about that little episode. I suspect he knew full well going into it what was up - and he was just setting 'em up to knock 'em down! Probably had his little coup-de-grace comeback all ready in mind, already. But be that as it may: it's a sweet sentiment, a nice lesson to contemplate, and an inspirational little tale.

And I take it to heart. Or rather, I find that it's already there: I would rather believe some preposterous lie, than believe that the human being across from me is lying. Wouldn't you? Shoot! Who cares about the validity of some random fact or claim, when set next to the stark possibility that the person across from you is such a dip that they'd lie to you about it? Me, I'd much rather take it on faith that they sincerely believe what they say. I'm pleased to accept it as their honest testimony, however improbable - and for whatever it may be worth, given the case at hand.

That's why I'm so easy to fool. I love that about me! Fool me once? Shame on you. Fool me twice? Shame on me! Fool me three times? Shame on you again. Fool me four times? My turn! Fool me five times? What, you're still having fun? COOL!!! Keep on foolin'! Fool me again!

I love a good fool. A good fool can keep you entertained for years, just getting the better of you.

There's no end to the better of me, where a fool's concerned.