Hope vs. Trust?

[MakersDozn]

We talked about this with our T this evening. I said to our T that I feel that some of our others think that I'm naive because I've always been a trusting person.

Our T disagreed with the idea that I've been trusting. She reminded me that throughout our life, people have proven themselves to be *un*trustworthy. And that I experienced this lack of trust at a very early age.

I said that even after repeated disappointment, I've tried even harder to find validation from people. She said that I've kept trying because I've had hope, not trust. I've kept hoping that I would find trust even though I haven't found it so far.

She said that hope and trust are two very different things. She said that trust has to be earned, but hope does not, and that hope is one of the things that keeps us going. Not just me, but people in general.

How can I continue to hope when I repeatedly experience a lack of trust? Am I indeed naive to keep hoping? Am I hurting myself by hoping? Am I hurting the others with me?

What do you think? What are your experiences with hope and trust (or a lack of either or both)?

Thanks,

Charity