This week, Rev. Patrick speaks about courage, compassion, and connection. In his talk, he draws largely from the work of Dr. Brené Brown, a professor at the University of Houston in Social Work, who has extensively studied vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame.
In her research, she found that people universally experience heartbreak, exclusion, and disconnection. And these are caused by an underlying feeling of shame and fear---a fear of disconnection, of not being good enough, of not being able to deserve connection. Excruciating vulnerability underpins this idea of "not good enough". Yet, in order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be truly seen.
According to Brené, we can become whole-hearted people---people who show up understanding that we are deserving of love and belonging. The number one quality is courage: having the courage to tell our story with our whole heart. Number two is compassion: being kind to ourselves in order to be kind to others. Number three is connection: letting go of who we thought we were so that we can be who we are. Letting our authenticity shine through to others.
This is whole-hearted living. Vulnerability. When we live this way, things show up that feel bad to us---grief, shame, fear, and disappointment. But it is also the birthplace of joy, creativity, belonging, and love. We have to have the full experience of the former to have the full experience of the latter.
We're loved and we belong just because we are.
