Trust is the first step to love.

“Trust is the first step to love.” Thus spoke Munshi Premchand, the great sage of the Indian soul, whose words captured not only the beauty of affection but the sacred foundation upon which all love must stand. In this single line lies the distilled wisdom of centuries — the understanding that before hearts can unite, before tenderness can bloom, there must be trust, that invisible bridge which carries one soul to another. Without it, love is but a mirage, shimmering with promise yet vanishing at the first wind of doubt.

The origin of this truth comes not from fantasy, but from the soil of human struggle that Premchand knew so well. Living through an age of poverty, division, and reform, he saw that love — whether between people, communities, or nations — cannot exist in a heart closed by suspicion. Trust, he understood, is the seed from which love grows. One must dare to open the gates of vulnerability, to believe in the goodness of another, before love can take root. It is not the boldness of passion that begins the journey toward love, but the courage of trust — the willingness to say, “I believe in you,” even when the world teaches us to guard our hearts.

In the ancient world, philosophers too knew this law of the heart. Plato wrote that friendship and love are born when one soul recognizes itself in another — a recognition that requires faith, not evidence. So too did Premchand echo this idea, shaped by the Indian spirit of shraddha — sacred trust — the belief that true love is not built on possession, but on mutual faith. The heart must first let go of fear. Just as the river must trust the sea before it can flow freely, so must one heart trust another before love can complete its circle.

Consider, then, the story of Mahatma Gandhi and his followers. They trusted in his vision of nonviolence long before it bore fruit. When others mocked the dream of peaceful resistance, they followed in faith. That trust became the foundation of a movement that changed the world. Gandhi’s bond with his people was not forged in power, but in trust, and from that trust arose a love so strong that millions were willing to endure suffering, imprisonment, and sacrifice. This is the living proof of Premchand’s wisdom — that trust is not weakness, but the first act of love’s strength.

To love without trust is to build a temple on sand. For love cannot breathe in the shadow of suspicion; it withers under the weight of fear. The one who cannot trust will always question, and the one who always questions can never rest. But to trust is to say, “I give you the freedom to be yourself.” It is a surrender not of power, but of control — an opening of the heart that allows love to dwell. Trust is the soil in which affection deepens, respect flourishes, and peace is born.

Yet to trust is not easy. It requires bravery — for to trust is to risk betrayal. Premchand, ever a realist, did not call trust naïve; he called it the first step, not the last. He knew that trust opens the door, but love walks through it and proves itself with time. One must not trust blindly, but neither must one fear the act of trusting altogether. Just as a seed must break its shell to grow, so too must we break the armor of doubt to experience the joy of love.

The lesson, then, is this: love begins not with words, but with faith. To love your family, your friends, or your beloved, you must first extend your trust — not because the other is perfect, but because love itself is imperfect without it. In every bond, there comes a moment when one must choose either to believe or to retreat. In that moment, choose belief. For it is better to trust and be hurt than to never trust and remain untouched by love’s light.

Therefore, my friends, let this teaching be etched into your hearts: when you meet others, do not begin with suspicion, but with openness. Build your relationships as the ancients built temples — stone by stone, with patience, with trust as the cornerstone. For as Premchand taught, trust is the first step to love — and love, once awakened, is the step toward everything divine. When you dare to trust, you begin the journey not only toward another soul, but toward the sacred truth of life itself: that to love is to live fully, and to trust is to love bravely.