You're not stupid

-When i was little, i used to believe anything anybody would tell me , i was the most naive child i knew, even now i see kids that are wittier and wiser than i am and was. and since i have an evil older sister -and like all older sisters- she loved to torture me.
We used to live next to a river; and it was a scary place. so she told me that there was a headless witch living there, and of course i believed it, and didn't go by that place for months. and i would wake up in the middle of the night screaming from the nightmares i had. but after a while i decided to take action against my fear, so i asked my sister to take me and show me the witch. at first she was hesitant, but then she did take me. i think she didn't want to come across as a liar and she hoped so hard that there would be a witch- as i said we were sooo young.
After a whole day at the river; she was tired and hungry -and so was i but i wouldn't show it- but she admitted that she was lying and that there is no witch at that place and i won; despite the fact of being scared and tired and hungry i won.
After that incredibly long story what I'm trying to get out of this is that i was -and still am- a very believing person i believe things very easily and i get scolded for it sometimes.but this this how i am  and i can't say that this quality of mine has done me any good, because once people catch on to you, that you believe everything you're told; they will think that you are weak and naive and will start taking advantage of you in any way possible whether it be: emotional or physical or financial .it is in the human nature and that's how we are made. but the truth is; i am not weak nor naive, i just have faith that everytime will be different than the last one ;and that this time everything will be just fine. I'm not retarded or have mental problems for thinking so, I'm just hopeful, but it almost never comes true, what i hope for.
But for people like me out there, i say that it  doesn't mean that you should lose your faith in humanit,y and in yourself, and think that the lonelier you are the better, it is not, trust me I've tried it. what you should do is what i learnt from my own childhood story. i was a brave child and decided that i will always stay that way. because the thing is; you don't have a choice either you step up and get your courage and face the world. or you stay locked up in a cocoon of self and world loath, and that my friends isn't healthy at all. and holding grudges against people who have taken advantage of you, is just going to drain your spirit and take away your laugh,and we don't want that now do we?
So learn to forgive, and let go, but never forget, and learn from your mistakes and never lose faith in humanity. because there will always be goodness in people, and that is something i will always believe no matter what and i will believe it from the depths of my heart.
ANGEL