What Do I Trust?

It has been a week of disappointments... catching a local woman shoplifting in our little gallery and then having a casual friend damage something of mine. Both of these incidents felt awful. With the shoplifter, we have an ally with sheriff and county attorney. The fact that she has stolen art from other galleries strengthens our resolve to follow through.

It is harder to know how to move forward with my casual friend. It wasnt just that she damaged something. It was her changing story about what had happened. I am not sure how trust gets re-built. Can it? The first time this person challenged my trust, we talked about it. Mistakes happen I thought. Maybe I wasn't listening well. The 2nd time I found her changing story did not match the facts as they unfolded; trust was broken. I am pulling away from this woman. She doesn't see why her hiding information reduced my trust; I have little hope for change. Maybe I was naive to forgive the first incident. I have a habit of being optimistic without cause. And I know optimism isn't delusional; it is looking at reality as it is and choosing to focus on love. So I wish both of these women well. But that is not the same as trusting them...