Seeing the Good in People

Many things in this world totally boggle my mind. The feelings of awe and wonder at nature's many beauties. The connection you feel with animals/pets despite the many genetic differences. But the one thing that truly leaves me confused is the actions of people. There are many different things that people do that I can't wrap my head around. But one thing burns me over and over again. I am the kind of person that believes what people tell me. Some might call that gullible, but I like to think of it as taking people for their word and trusting that what they say is the truth. Unfortunately seeing the good in people, whether they are different than their negative reputation perceives them as, well intentioned, or even as far as dig me as a friend/more than friend, so often bites me in the ass.

The part that I don't get is, why are there so often negative consequences for believing that people in general are good people? This seems totally backwards to me. Maybe its what I have been taught to believe in my faith, that you should treat everyone like they are your brother or sister in Christ. Or maybe its just that old rule that you should treat people how you want to be treated. I tell the truth, or at least a high majority of the time, because I value honesty and look for that in others. I guess not everyone feels this way though, because time and time again people lie to me or tell me things that hurt deep to the core.

So what is it with people these days? So many people are pessimistic, and even violent or hate-filled. Is it no longer a good way of thinking that people are decent anymore? And the real thing I don't want to have to face or change, do we now have to prepare for the worst with people in order not to get hurt? I hate what this is coming to.