Are you trusting or suspicious?

I would say I am cautious rather than suspicious. The people I trust completely can be counted on the fingers of one hand, others I sort of trust but am wary. My late DH trusted everyone until they proved he couldn't trust them and then they were cut out of his life completely. I'm not sure which is the better way!

Jess I'm a bit like you in that I was always completely trusting - to my detriment. I suppose I was naive. But life has taught me to be more cautious. So I wouldn't say I am suspicious, but I am a lot more cautious than before, when I would simply trust everyone in sight.

One of the experiences that also opened my eyes was when I worked (in SA) in the criminal justice system. After a while I would look at people that I had just met and think "How many previous convictions do you have?" that was when I knew it was time to look for another job.

Mind you, when I was a juror recently I was again struck by (for example) the mild mannered, well dressed man in the dock who was a prolific car thief (he had 150 previous convictions). If the young me had met him socially I'd have been oblivious even to the thought that he might be anything other than a very nice person.

My DH was a senior detective in the Met and is still suspicious in nature. He couldn't have done his job without that trait!
I am the complete opposite and try to think the best of everyone-despite having a fairly difficult childhood.
We balance each other out, although I do get fed up with the way he works out who killed whom on TV crime series. And insists on telling me before the end.
In fact, we have agreed to disagree for 44 years so far!

I'm suspicious and cynical because that's what my experience of life has taught me.
It started with my first husband who was a detective in the Drug Squad/CID/RCS and he drummed into me gave me instructions about what not to do when answering the phone/front door etc.
25 years of being married to him and I've never trusted anyone since!