Guile

It is a strange thing to be thinking about but that is me – strange. Someone used the word guile and I thought I had better find out what it means, and think about any situations where there might have been evidence of it.  It is a word hardly ever used.
According to the Cambridge English Dictionary it means “cunning, craftiness, artfulness, slyness, deviousness, shrewdness, canniness, ingenuity.”  Someone asked “if a word was spelt wrong in a dictionary, how would you know?”  Me, I wouldn’t.  The word we translate as guile is Middle English, from Anglo-French, probably of Germanic origin (Merriam-Webster).
Looking at the people I have known, and now know, I think there have been a few with no guile.  They are very much what you see is what you get people.  Often the only way to know, is spending time with someone, and getting to know them.  Thankfully though, sometimes insight prevents disaster.
I reckon those ripped off in the Storm crisis were dealing with people full of guile. Trouble is, many folk found out too late.  The Banking Enquiry has revealed people acting with a lot of guile.  They make you believe something that turns out not to be the case. In different circumstances, I have been burned.  The consequences were not like those above, but I definitely felt I was left with egg on my face.
I guess it is one of the reasons I am cautious before signing.  I totally mistrust it being implied I need to do something in a hurry.  Truth is, I don’t.  If I miss out on something as a result, so be it.  I would rather that, than be forced onto the streets. I want to make up my own mind, in my own time.  There are times, it is really important to get the experiences and opinions of others before doing something.  What looks rosy, may hide a snare.
Sometimes I think I don’t even know my own motives.  There is an ad on Foxtel at the moment where someone declares “I did all this for you.”  The listener then declares “you did all this for yourself!”  I can believe something of myself and the opposite be true.  I cannot worry about such things though.  The best I can do is be as honest with myself as I know how.
To have guile seems to be undesirable.  Sure I want to be shrewd and ingenious but I don’t think I want to be crafty or sly or devious.  It is important to me that people trust me.  I know there are those who are motivated by something different though.
I think my motivation is ok but who knows really?  I guess it is why we say actions speak louder than words.  People only find out what they are capable of, both good and bad, when put in the situation. It seems to me, real motivations can only be known through testing them.  Some tests though, I would prefer not to go through.