Trust and Betrayal

The weight of a small word

Ever wondered if you trust too soon and then get hurt?

Well, that’s me. Every time I trust someone or something now, my brain screams that something’s fishy. Survival mode, I suppose.

Specially when people say, "I am not like others". Spoiler alert: THEY ARE.

But how do we live in a world where trust feels endangered?

Trust — such a small word, yet it carries the weight of everything we build in relationships, work, or even a passing conversation with a stranger.

Sometimes, all it takes to build trust is a simple chat — maybe over a glass of water and a bit of honesty. No filters, no performance, just two people being real for a few minutes.

And sometimes, even long talks and big promises aren’t enough.

The quiet breaks

I recently worked with a blogger who invited me to capture photographs “for exposure.”

She said all the right things — “I’m not like other bloggers, I take my work seriously.”

And I believed her. The photos and videos came out beautifully, the property looked stunning.

But when the post went live — my name was missing.

No mention. No credit. Just silence. Not on Instagram, not on the website. Nowhere. Poor me right? I got betrayed again... Well, this is what learning looks like it seems 😉 .

Then there was a client who spent days talking about Udaipur — the weather, the food, the best corners of the city, the perfect time to visit.

I shared everything I knew, genuinely trying to help.

But right before payment, he vanished.

Used my insights like a guidebook and disappeared like a ghost.

All he really needed was a free guide I guess.

And what hurt most — when I was working on my own video project, Mumal, I asked every girl I knew to be part of it.

Most replied with “Pay me.”

Every person I had offered free shoots to earlier backed out.

Luckily, I found an old contact and finished the shoot — but at what expense?

Broken trust again.

The unexpected restores

And yet, the world isn’t made of just such people.

I once met a woman from Palestine. She asked me about an Indian goddess — Neemuch Mata — while I was praying at the temple, at Udaipur.

It’s a quiet walk uphill, not many people go there, but that day it was crowded.

She came to me anyway, maybe out of simple human trust.

Later, when we had to walk back, she chose to follow the path I took — down the stairs instead of the ramp with the crowd.

We talked for maybe ten to twenty minutes — about work, travel, and little things that don’t really matter but somehow still do.

We never exchanged names or contacts (introvert me hesitates every time I step out of my comfort zone. Introvert and photographer — duh 🙄 ).

But that tiny moment of mutual trust stayed with me — quiet, fleeting, real.

Sometimes, you meet someone and trust them with a story — not because they earned it, but because something about them feels safe.

Maybe that’s all trust really is: a quiet leap of faith.

The friendly ear

Then there are those who trust you just enough to talk — not expecting to be fixed or analyzed.

The last two years have been tough, almost impossible, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this:

People don’t always want your advice. They just want to be heard.

You’re not a therapist or a psychologist — and you don’t have to be.

Sometimes the best thing you can offer is a friendly ear, without judgment or betrayal.

Maybe they see something safe in you. Maybe they’re just tired.

Either way, I value those moments more than I can explain. They make my day.

I don’t have a big circle of people I can talk to that way.

Maybe that’s why these small, honest connections mean so much to me.

They’re reminders that the world is still beautiful — even if there are a few cruel minds wandering around.

Still, life is beautiful.

And who knows — maybe some friendships begin exactly like that.

Not with plans or promises, but with the quiet trust that someone’s listening, and means no harm.

The circle completes

Trust doesn’t always break loudly. Sometimes it fades quietly — replaced by convenience or ego.

But it also rebuilds itself quietly — through strangers, kind words, or a brief chat that leaves you smiling on your way home.

Because even now, in all the noise and the rush, humanity still stands — and trust is its pillar.

You don't want to be a person who breaks trusts and you definitely want to be a person to make this world a better place. May be not with big innovations, but by just being there.

And let me offer a friendly ear to those who lost the trust in this cruel world. No Judgement :)

If you’ve ever trusted someone — or been trusted without earning it — you know this feeling too.