So I completely forgot about Thankful Thursday yesterday. I don't think I realized it was Thursday until about half way through the day. I've been completely lost this week, can't keep track of my days... I think I'm just excited about Christmas :) But I digress.
So yesterday, after I realized it was Thursday and I needed to write this post, I started thinking about what I was thankful for. Of course I'm thankful for Christmas, that celebration of Jesus' birth. I'm thankful for my family and all the get-togethers we're going to have in the next week. I'm thankful that Claudio and I both have jobs and we can afford to buy our boys and extended family presents that I hope they'll enjoy. But really when it came down to it, what I'm really thankful for this week is honesty.
I was texting a friend earlier this week and she mentioned to me that she was pretty sure she had failed a class that she had taken this semester. She was finding this pretty hard to take and I mentioned that I understood how she felt as I failed a class while I was in University too (you can read about that experience here) Well, to be COMPLETELY honest (seeing how that's what this post is all about!) I dropped out before I actually failed it but I was already failing when I dropped out. Truthfully, I didn't really think too much about telling her this, I just wanted her to know that she wasn't the only one who's ever failed a class.
Later on I found out that she was really encouraged by my sharing. It's funny. In life we usually try to put our best foot forward. We often try to hide our imperfections and our weaknesses. It can be the same in blogging. I post all my advent posts, the fun things we do together as a family and cute stuff my boys say and do. But you know which posts get the most views and comments? The honest ones, where I share truthfully about my life and my struggles. These are the posts that really touch people and truthfully, those are the ones I enjoy reading the most too.
I'm not saying I'm thankful that I was honest with my friend. I'm thankful she was honest with me! Has someone said or done something lately that's encouraged you? Tell them! Do you know someone who may be struggling? Ask them how their doing and and instead of offering advice or telling them what you would do, maybe share an area where you're struggling too. Not to have a pity party but to let them know they're not alone, that as perfect as we may think others' lives are, we are all human.
So how about you? What are you thankful for?
I think you are right, Heidi! By presenting only the good, we tend to set ourselves apart from others. Perfect, not human.
ReplyDelete:) I'm thankful for other people who understand that transparency increases goodwill and comfort. It's so true! People need to know they are not alone in their imperfection!!
ReplyDeleteyou know, i really understand what you are saying. i did not want to be honest with my friends today because i just didn't want to talk about my problems...but i shared anyway and am glad that i did. honesty IS important and refreshing!
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking about this lately, as well. My husband and I have always tried to be genuine and to show people that we struggle too in our walks of faith. I think people (I know I) need to be able to relate. I'm reading a book right now by Brene Brown called: The Gifts of Imperfection. In it, she talks about our innate need for connectivity and how that honesty is such a huge component of having true connectivity in our relationships. Good post! I'm thankful that you had the courage to write it!!
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