Hope is a powerful ally.

But, when utilized in the wrong way, it can become an incredible stumbling block. An emotion held captive by those who would prey upon it's bearers. I have witnessed this countless times in the lives of many friends and family close to me... but now, through an immense lapse of reason and subtle access to my own hope, I have fallen victim to hope's true weakness... trust. I prefer to trust people. I would rather trust and believe and give without expectation of failure, malevolence, or thievery. Life is just better that way. I suppose learning a lesson like this will ultimately make life better but the hard pill is still the hard pill... and I tend to digest these things slowly anyway.