Food for thought... again

Recently, we did a retreat (this last weekend) and I broke the door fo the kitchen to the retreat center clear off (well, not the hinged side, but the locked side...). It was mostly an accident, though its hard to explain... I didn't mean to break it while I was trying to break in...

but it will be ok... I hope.

The main point of this, though, is in support of Boeke's dilemma's/dedication to/attempt at totally stripping himself naked with honestly... and, because of the value I've come to see in that, and in fact the necessity I'm slowly starting to think of it as... I bring forth the following thought (which comes from looking at JC's trial for the whole Holy Week theme):

Many of us are not a completely open book all the time because to get ridiculed, mocked, or judged (or misjudged) by people who don't completely understand us, by those who we can tell ourselves don't truly know who we are... is easier. Then we can just say (and many of us do all the time), "Oh, they just don't understand."

To totally let ourselves be honest about all our ourselves makes us totally vulnerable because when we are judged, ridiculed, mocked, pitied, or any of those other things we don't want to be... it is because of who we actually are. Someone is rejecting or attacking our fully, honest, naked, unprotected selves... and suddenly, we have no shield of misunderstanding to hide behind... we are left with the simple reality and pain of being unaccepted for who we are, and there is little in life that hurts more.

The question is... will all the good things we want from people, be even better? What about when the people in your life love, admire, respect, and care for who you really are... openly, honestly, and at your most vulnerable...

is that posible pain worth taking for the amazing reality of truthful relationships?

I think it is.

But... maybe not.