While I don't truly fear you becoming a bitter individual as a result of 
these negative experiences, I do feel the highlighted section below is now 
more appropriate than ever.

One must keep their eyes open and use all of the wisdom they possess when 
they trust.  Just as I suggested that positive experiences can cause one's 
level of trust to grow exponentially, negative experiences can cause 
irreparable harm.  If you trust blindly or too willingly and that trust is 
violated it colours every aspect of your life.  There are too many people in 
this world that have become bitter and cynical, not because they were born 
that way but, because they handed out trust haphazardly and too many times 
that trust was thrown back in their face.  I don't mean to suggest from the 
above that one should live in a day-to-day mind-set of distrust but rather 
that they must really look at people and all the aspects which they posses.  
I have come to the conclusion that if you spend most of your time observing 
and listening to people rather than always taking the lead you will learn a 
great deal more about them and their character.  The smallest acts and 
statements can in fact say the most, so always be observant. (This includes 
listening to what others have to say and paying attention to the opinions of 
people whom you respect.)

To that end I have one last comment...I am constantly amazed and periodically 
reminded what fragile creatures we humans are.  That beyond the hype and 
self-grandizing the basic components of ourselves (our experiences, fears, 
cares, concerns, needs etc.) cannot be completely disregarded and will always 
be a part of us.  I think that only by recognizing those components and 
trying to understand their origin can we truly become stronger.