To Share or Not To Share?
Photo by Dan DeAlmeida on Unsplash
I recently found myself sitting at a meal with people I had just met. The conversation went as conversations will go, and I was asked what I do with my spare time. I wanted to tell them about the road I have been on with writing as the result of my cancer experience. I hesitated. To share or not to share? That was the question.
It’s one thing when someone you know but haven’t seen for a long time inquires how you are doing, not just as a greeting but really wanting to know. You still have to weigh the situation - is it the right time or place? Are you going to start out with the preface, “Let me start by telling you I’m doing fine, but…” Will you end up spending time comforting them as they try to digest in a few short minutes something you have spent hours, days, weeks, months, and even years processing?
However, this was different. How much of my story was I willing to share with people, who, until a little over an hour ago, were total strangers? How much were they willing to hear?
It’s not about my privacy at this point. When I chose to start a blog, that option went out the window. To share our stories as an encouragement to others means that we have agreed to make ourselves open and vulnerable. We risk being misunderstood and having our motives questioned.
I recently said to a friend, “I am not an expert,” implying that I am not a medical expert, but they countered with, “Yes you are. You are an expert in your own story.” We each have a unique story and there are specific people that each of us can reach at this point in time. The dilemma is that we may not know who they are, so we need to take the risk and get our stories out there.
I pray that God gives us the grace and wisdom to know when to share, and to trust that as we put our words out there, those who need to hear our stories will do so. To God alone be the glory.
To my new friends with whom I shared a meal, thank you for graciously listening.