Accidentals: Entrust Not

Photo by Musab Al Rawahi on Unsplash

There are cases where we do not entrust, not for a lack of trust. Plenty are the settings where we do not give power because we do not trust. Contrary to popular belief, to trust does not necessarily lead to entrust.

Lack of trust can be justified, especially in families. For example, if somebody in your family, your niece perhaps, who's become a successful doctor offered to be your surgeon, you might find yourself hesitant. Many articles of praise, media coverages, and testimonials mean nothing to you in that moment because... you know a different person... Not a side or personality, a person! Are they the mischievous one? How could that little soul become a world class surgeon!? Or, maybe you trust them, but are not ready to entrust them.

Entrusting is a game of chances. When you do something, you are willing to take responsibility for its the consequences. However, when you give the power to make decisions to somebody else, you're making a statement, or at least I hope you realize you are, that you trust the party you are entrusting with your decisions, and potentially your future. As such, we recognize that there are possibilities to consider.

Possibilities might lead us to make conservative judgements, one for our example is overprotection. What would be the impact of the surgery going wrong? Your death? How about the psychological impact of complications, including death, on your niece? In this case, even if you trust your niece, you might choose to entrust, your life to, somebody else. You might consider the weight of responsibility so great, that passing it on to somebody more indifferent is prudent.

Trust is a responsibility that we might be more inclined to pass on to somebody who is a little further in our social network i.e., not family, nor friends.