The Sweetest Weakness

“Live in such a way that if anyone should speak badly of you, no one would believe it.”

- Origins from 1 Peter 3:16

So… what makes someone trustworthy?

            I can almost guarantee that you’ll get a variety of responses based on someone’s personal value system. “Trust” is loosely defined as “a firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing”. Today, I'm applying it to those who are close to you. In my humble opinion, I think it boils down to a case of positive dependability. Allow me to explain: Can you depend on them to keep a secret for instance (positive)… or can you depend on them to spill the beans, regardless of what it is, to someone else (negative/pseudo/false trust)? Hopefully I haven’t lost you yet, haha.

My ‘Ah-ha!” Moment

Right… so why I am talking about this today.

I had an “Ah-ha!” moment this afternoon while chatting with someone very near and dear to me. When I responded with "I trust you”, that statement turned out to be more significant and true than I could have ever imagined. I always believed that it was a noble and graceful thing to give people the benefit of the doubt. To a degree, I still believe that; however I think I see the bigger picture much more clearly now.

A Precious Gift:

You see, choosing to see the best in someone is not synonymous with trust; I had always lumped the two together. Trust is a precious gift and now I understand why people would say that you “earn it” and why they lament that if “trust” is broken, it is incredibly difficult to gain back. That is not to say that you shouldn’t forgive someone for letting you down (since that is a very human thing); what I am saying is that you may need to step back and evaluate the INTENT and severity of the indiscretion that was committed (such as forgetting to put the toilet seat down).

Shrewd-ness can oftentimes be a tough pill to swallow. If you can trust someone to always let you down – that’s not “trust” (remember the “positive/negative” example?). Please understand that you are NOT called to love someone less because of his or her character flaws. Instead, use them as a springboard for your own development. Remember, “Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone (John 8 : 7 – if you don’t know this story)”.

The Bottom line

Since trust is often something earned, I have learned to allow people to earn it and ACKNOWLEDGE those who have it… that my friends, has made all the difference and truly is the sweetest of weaknesses.

Lots of Love,
Emma xoxo

The Cost of Compassion

"Compassion is the radicalism of our time" -The Dali Lama

A professor of mine recently said something that I believe will stick with me for a very long time. I was challenged to transform my judgment of others into curiosity. Then she went ahead and opened her heart so sincerely to me (and the class) sharing a story about a gentleman whose son had died, that she had met on a plane while she was  running away to India to escape the painful aftermath of a divorce.

The story reminded me of a quote that has reoccurred several times in my young adulthood; unfortunately, I don’t know who said it but it goes like this, “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always”. I think I liked his quote for many reasons. One being that I wish for that very compassion when I’m struggling, especially since I find confiding my weaknesses to be quite difficult as well as humbling.

Now, I recently put in some hours in as a poll clerk in the provincial election and was stationed with a pleasant middle-aged woman named Elle*. Her oldest daughter went to school with my little sister, so we hit it off quite well; coincidentally, the magazine she brought (in case I was anything like her last – much quieter – partner) went untouched. As time flew by, I started to feel that she was tentatively confiding in me. 
        Coincidentally, this story also has to do with airlines as well. Anyways, she spoke of adventures that never left her dreams to the realm of reality and various regrets about how and when she settled down to raise a family; wondering what would have happened if she didn't marry the pilot so soon into her stewardess career. She spoke of so many within-reach dreams as if they would never be realized and it made me sad. 
         It seemed that her unmotivated (not to say that he doesn't have his own back story too)  husband  seemed to be at the heart of her sadness (although she never out rightly said it), yet this beautiful woman’s heart shone with selflessness and understanding for not only the apathy of her husband, but for all the people in her family who had hurt her. I have often heard that it is easier to rise above and forgive when the other is understood, but that doesn't mean that the pain immediately goes away. With that said, it was interesting that I felt (only a small portion, I’m sure) her sadness almost as if it were my own.

In closing, I believe there is no cost for compassion. You don’t need to be cheap with it because it never runs out and doesn’t cost a thing. It’s too bad that (in my humbled opinion) our culture here seems to have it in such short supply.

Name Change & Redesign!

In time, some things must leave in order make room for the new. Lately, it has been on my heart to change the name of the blog to reflect more of a journey that lasts a lifetime and the experiences as well as learning that happens along the way. "Finding Eden" is about the search for paradise, connection, meaning in this world, and being whole. Join me as the sun sets on this very rich season to face the new and exciting prospects that come with the dawn of a new day and adventure.

The domain name will remain www.littlegoldlocket.blogspot.com for two reasons 1.) I still want you to find me, and 2.) The domain name was already taken. 

Oh well, who said everything had to go anyways? ;)

Please enjoy and be inspired!

With lots of love, as usual,

-Emma

xoxo