Revealing Your Personality - Let It Be Safe Now

When we are acquainted on even a Summer's day, of each other walking down the avenue we might find an ordinary object in the lane in front of us. That ordinary object might be something that when turned over becomes extraordinary. This is what it might be. When one turns it over one sees the details one had not seen on the other side. The other side was exposed to nature, to rain, to sun and wind and to the passing walker on the path but on the other side we see its hidden identity - that which has not been revealed to the elements be they man made or otherwise. When we turn it over we see its hidden nature.
Our personalities are much like that in my experience. What we show to the world has a great deal to do with how our personalities have been buffeted by man's creations and by the creations and experience of being buffeted about in the world of life.
There is a time almost here now when we will have the opportunity to bravely, yes but also with support reveal our true natures - not just the shield that we have shown bravely to each other and to life itself and when this inner part of our personality feels safe to be shown we will have support. There will be opportunity to reveal our inner kindness, our most urgent desires and our most benevolent aspects without fear of recrimination or of being taunted for being true to ourselves. It is a time now to support that in each other.
I'm going to recommend some homework some of you might find profoundly risky and in order for it to be done I would like you to think of your very best friend and first to be certain that they are that, ask them, "Are you or would you be comfortable considering yourself to be my best friend? You can be a best friend to others. That does not concern me but I consider you my best friend. Are you comfortable with that?"
If they say, perhaps after even a pause, that they are comfortable with that then this is what I am asking or I am suggesting if you like, that you consider doing. Tell them, "Sometime in the next day I'm going to reveal to you something of my innermost personality. It will not be frightening nor will it be shocking but I'm just going to allow myself to say out loud in your presence something that is what we would normally consider private - not a secret - just something that I don't normally discuss in front of anyone. It won't be scandalous nor will it be something that will cause you embarrassment. Think for a moment" you might say, "can you be comfortable allowing that?"
If they say yes even after a pause then think of something that you don't normally reveal. Make sure it is not something that would embarrass your friend but something that is of what you would truly consider to be an innermost reality for you. It could be a belief you have, it could be something about your personality that you don't normally talk about but it will be something safe to mention for you and others. It might be something as innocuous as a favorite singer or a favorite movie star that you feel shy to discuss or it might be something along the nature of something you have done - not a secret, nothing to be ashamed of. It could be something that is a feeling, a - perhaps a thought.
Give it some thought and consider what it might be. Give yourself two or three choices before you approach your friend and ask them if you can do this. Keep in mind however, as is human nature, your friend might decide to do the same with you and tell you something and if this happens you must allow them to speak what they have to say and then just say, "Thank you for sharing that" when it is over or simply say, "That's alright. I appreciate you telling me that" or something that is a comfortable thing - the kind of thing you'd want to hear when you have revealed some portion of your inner self to your friend.
Think about it. It sounds more complicated than it really is because of all the words.
On these pathways that we walk we often find many things that look quite ordinary - a stone, a leaf, an old piece of paper but when we turn it over we often find something that is unexpected. Let that unexpected thing be something that is valuable and yet, available. Let your personality, which is indeed valuable, be more available to your friends and in time to the world.
Goodlife and goodnight.