I attended a meeting the other day that disintegrated into conflict and strife. Things were said that caused strong reactions in others and people left, disregarding the purpose for which everyone had come together in the first place. Some members reached out to me privately to reflect on the situation and I was open and genuine. The building of unity, whether in a family, community or an organisation is fraught with difficulties that often people do not want to face with responsibility. It is so much easier to wallow in self-pity and ostracize ourselves and quit as a display of protest and rebellion. Yet this behaviour only hurts us in the long run. If only we could see what a wonderful opportunity we have to grow in our spiritual qualities and become more powerful than we once were. I knew that I needed to write to the entire group and did my virtues pick to help direct my tone. Sincerity guided me away from the scolding mother approach to a more loving and empowering stance. Instead of admonishing, I focused on our similarities and referenced how we have all exhibited negative behaviour and hurt others. I called them to humility and forgiveness, qualities that are only developed through adversity. I am not attached to the outcome of this matter. I know that if everyone comes back to the table it will be a wonderful and powerful thing to build capacity beyond their imaginations, this is the very clear foresight I have. But it depends on people being able to put aside their egos. This is where the work comes in and I know it is difficult. I am eternally grateful for the practices of sincerity this morning that guided me to speak truthfully and be myself. Often I diminish the incredible power I have to influence others by not speaking up and feeling that what I have to say will be less than the impact of what others may contribute. I have in the past diminished my light and the unique ability that I have been gifted to see reality with clarity and mirror it forth to others. This morning these thoughts were not in my mind, I was on a mission to keep life pure and simple.
Sometimes taking a risk to speak our hearts backfires (don't I know it). Yet, without these risks we are bound to stay stagnant in our learning and in the impact we may have for positive growth both in ourselves and others. It's hard to allow ourselves to be vulnerable but it's necessary.