There is a picture in my high school yearbook of me looking up to someone outside the frame. The caption is about how gullible I was, which is another word for trusting. I did believe people, and that made me both vulnerable and leadable. 

 

My siblings had their own stories of telling me outrageous things, to see if I would fall for it. For instance, the warning that my knee caps would fall off when I died, or that eating raw cookie dough would give me worms. Even after many instances of being duped, I still err on the side of trust. Unless you are calling me about beachfront real estate in Florida. Those charlatans I hang up on. 

 

There are times I am caught off guard by the willingness of others to swallow tall tales. Claims that even I, a lifelong believer, find preposterous. The ones that perplex me are those that demean someone. Unbelievable defamation that should not be, well, believed. 

 

The difference between affirming someone who is playing tricks on me, and glomming onto inflammatory claims is about intention. Hopefully, a heart of trust bubbles up from a love for others. Swallowing stories that destroy another precious person's worth is anything but.