Does anybody feel...

like past experiences and realtionships and treatment from people is making you cold or cynical...

Nope not cold or cynical, just means I keep my wits about me, and my eyes and ears open.

I'm afraid so piscespartygirl, but the party still must go on, er,or something like that

Exactly, that's why I will never shut myself off from anything, because while some situations are unpleasant they present a lesson to be learned, an experience to be had etc. and you never know what will come from it.

Yes, yes, and yes. I agree with all of you. but for this reason, these life lessons impact how you relate to other people now, right? It wouldn't make any sense to approach people in the same way you did before you had this insight. I'm not saying I'm cold or cynical, but I no longer give people benefit of the doubt after benefit of the doubt.

"these life lessons impact how you relate to other people now, right?"

Are you talking about how you now view someone you already know and who has abused your trust? Or about how you approach others having been burnt in the past?

Umm, both I guess. I guess people now have to earn my trust, whereas before, I used to be entirely uninhibited in my relationships with people. I still try to be as unguarded as possible though because I think it limits what you can experience in life.

OK well for me everyone is treated with an open mind and is given a fair chance....until they prove me wrong lol. It's not a conscious thing though that's just how I am.

Love your avatar btw.

I just pulled this from the Libra board and thought it fitting

Daily Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda
Wednesday, August 20, 2008

To be fearless no matter what happens-that is the root of true happiness. To move forward resolutely regardless of what lies in store-that is the spirit, the resolve, that leads to human victory. But if we allow ourselves to be disturbed by petty criticism and slander, if we fear pressure and persecution, we will never advance nor create anything of lasting value.

But how do you this when everything in your being is saying, stop touching the hot stove for crissake!

Starfish, I don't understand why you don't understand what it is I don't understand I'm doing?

😛 I'm just messing with you. I'm very hyper today. I have a mountain of work in front of me the size of Ararat and I have done nothing. Very productive.

The quote was only intended to say that if you approach life with apprehension and fear because of past experiences, then you lose out on a lot of meaning in your life.

lmao @ haffo. C'mon, I was just coaxing everyone into thinking we pisces are nice people.

Mm, I guess, it's because I'm currently reading Night and Day by Woolf and she mentions a street in the book called Ararat, and it struck me as odd that a street in London hundreds of years ago would have been named that, so it stuck.

Fearless is right, but that's actually BECAUSE of certain shit I've been through in the past. I refuse to let it beat me, plus if you've already hit rock bottom well at least you know what to do if you ever find yourself there again lol.