Trust should be a gift freely given with no expectations placed upon it but belief in the person you are giving it to. Trust has never been easily recaptured once broken, but in my own experience, this seems to be because most people expect their partner to *earn* back trust. Along with that comes a near constant barrage of the Who, What, When, Where, Why questions from the one whose trust was broken. In some cases, both partners have broken trust and this elicits a continuous circle of suspicion. I think we should begin to look at trust in a new perspective, not as something earned but something freely given, knowing the risk that comes with...giving trust. It may be broken. A relationship can survive an initial break of trust if both parties are willing to communicate why the break in trust occured and how they would like to move forward. There can be no "Y/you'll have to prove yourself to me". It will never be satisfied, that nagging suspicion in the back of Y/your mind. So it would seem to me, the logical way to proceed is to give Y/your trust once more fully knowing that it is ~Y/your~ risk. If Y/you really want the relationship to survive You must first address the issue of why trust was broken in the first place and if the act was something ~Y/you~ think you can forgive then discuss it, mull it over, attack it head on, and then..........Let It Go. Y/you will not solve the intial problem that caused this break in trust by constantly doubting the other partner or by holding on to the *betrayl* and chewing it until it remains bitter in both your mouths. So trust must simply be...a gift, freely offered with no expectations in return. If the relationship is as strong as either of you thought it will grow stronger if the two partners can discuss the problem and then..put it away for good. Move Forward, being almost anew. When a person is honest enough to admit to breaking a trust, able to come forward when confronted and say yes, I did this and I was wrong and I am hurting that I hurt you; then in my eyes that person has an honest want to make the relationship work and if the partner whose trust was betrayed stays within the relationship it should not be to constantly remind the other how they are on probation, forcing them to walk on eggshells always feeling thier every move and word is under scrutiny, but really to say..I know you screwed up, but we have discussed it, we both want to make this relationship work, let's do this. Like the old adage goes: Forgive and FORGET Trust is a priceless gift that we all give when entering into a relationship. To have it broken is a heartbreaking experience, but not an experience we cannot move past if both parties are willing to acknowledge it and let it go.