I've never been a good test taker...

Sometimes I wonder about people. Living in a very small town has definitely changed my perspective on people, I'm still trying to decide if this is a good thing, almost like taking a test. My experiences here have been amazing, terrible, and everything else in between. But now that I'm ready to see Kirksville from my rear view mirror (that is if i even look back), I'm worried that one of the biggest lesson's i've learned here was obtained at the expense of a great quality. Recently I really learned that no matter what, at the end of the day, we all need to take care of ourselves...even if this means being selfish and numb at times. Inherent in this lesson I think is the ability to remain somewhat detached from some people, not all, but most. I used to think I was able to tell the real friends from the imposters and the genuine people from those that enjoy relationships for convenience. I'm not so sure I trust myself in this arena anymore. Is it a test? So what more can we do but remain detached? This saddens me because one of my favorite qualities about myself has been the ability to really have true faith in people. I find myself at a crossroads here, how can i have faith that people are genuine and give everyone a chance when somewhere in the back of my mind the thought of "Be careful, do not be fooled by imposters" is constantly playing. I'm very enthusiastic in my personality and enjoy putting my whole heart into people, friendships, and relationships, no matter what. But recently I find myself detaching. Am I detaching myself from the unconditional optimism I have in people or from the people themselves? Not sure, and either way, is it a good thing? I suppose detaching from people or unwavering optimism is a way to always keep our own goals, feelings, and heart in the line of sight, perhaps protect them from the storm of things in life that can threaten to shatter them. But then again, never taking on the storm of life and being able to pick up the pieces and experiencing the events that define us is not something I'm really willing to miss out on. I've come this far, taken on the daily storm with an open mind and strong will. It's knocked me down plenty of times, but am I ready to stay down, stay safe, and always protected and detached? Not likely. Although, detaching seems to be the obvious answer right now. Everyday I pledge to avoid the obvious and easy answer in this test, that's never the right one anyway, no matter how much we want to choose it.