Secrets

We all have them, but why?  Are we ashamed of our actions or are we ashamed of what others will think of us?  If everything you have done in your life makes you the person you are today, that means EVERYTHING.  The good and the bad.  We are taught not to judge and we are taught to tell the truth.  Yet who are we judging?  Ourselves.  We are deeming certain actions (or lack of action) as shameful or embarrassing; something not to share with the world.  Yet we are also denying very integral parts of ourselves.

I am Catholic, I go to confession and reconcile my sins with God.  I may be absolved, but I still feel the guilt.  I don't know if I'm guilty of what I've done on a strictly personal level or if I'm guilty of how my sins would be perceived by my friends and family.  Maybe it's a little bit of both.  I am not proud of everything I have done in my life, nor am I ashamed of everything I have done.  I am very happy and content with who I am, yet there are parts of my life I keep locked away.

My friends and I have traded our "deepest, darkest secrets".  It's scary, but liberating at the same time.  You don't tell these stories to just anyone, you have to be sure you will still be accepted by your friends, accepted the way you were before you shared the secret.  As you take that deep breath and the words come out, you have that split second of dread.  Oh no, this person is going to be absolutely horrified.  This will ruin our friendship.  You speak the words, you watch your friend's expression, you feel like throwing up.......until that friend smiles and says, wow, thanks so much for sharing that.  Want to hear something about me?

So, do we bare our souls, throw caution to the wind and tell the world every little detail of our lives?  We would be putting our true selves out there.  I say no.  The reason for keeping the secret doesn't matter.  Just keep your mouth shut.  Not everyone needs to know everything.  Keep some secrets.

You know what's the best thing about a secret?  The trust that is shown when someone else shares their secret with you.  Secrets are treasures......just like the friends who share them.