Most of the
profound moments on my journey have been small and subtle. Changes that made my life different have
usually been learned again and again, as the Universe has a way of teaching lessons
again when I forget. As I reflect on the
lessons learned, the one about ‘confidentiality’ and the expanded definition of
what that now means to me is on the top of my list.
The expanded
meaning of confidentiality has been learned in stages over many years. If I had known what I know now, life would
have been less complicated.
In the
beginning, I was good at keeping a secret.
Was this the beginning of learning about ‘confidentiality’? It felt good that others trusted me. And it felt horrible when I made a mistake
and let the ‘secret’ slip out. And of
course, the Universe also gave me opportunities to experience how it felt to be
wronged.
Fast forward
to present day at Unity of Vancouver and the Prayer Chaplain ongoing training
program. This is where I am taught the
expanded meaning of ‘confidentiality’.
I initially
felt so guilty. All the years of
bursting someone’s balloon by running off and telling everyone their good news,
robbing that person of the joy of telling others of their upcoming holiday plan
or some other exciting news. I now see
that ‘IT’ was none of my business.
Amazingly life is so much simpler now.
No more trying to figure out who I have told and who I could tell. And what a time saver and I am no longer
spreading misinformation. No more
creating situations that later require forgiveness work.
There is
also the angle of being kinder by not bringing up a subject from past conversations
which might not be on the persons mind in this NOW moment. When asking, “Hi, How are you?”are people wanting
the standard greeting exchange of “Fine, thanks! And you?” or are they wanting
the longer answer regarding the issue we had previously talked about? Then having to figure out what I (or someone
else) had told them… What part of the
story needs updating? And why do I have
to go down that road at that moment, when I had totally forgotten about it and
was busy shopping.
It is a simple
change – by saying “it is nice to see you” instead of “how are you?” as
suggested by our Prayer Chaplain training.
Life would
be so much simpler if everyone understood the expanded version of what confidentiality
includes. We wouldn’t get as tangled in
the Webs We Weave if we just minded our own business.
Asking
myself, “Who’s egg is it that I am putting in my basket?” helps me when I still
find myself tempted to spread (mis)information. Sometimes I am caught in someone else’s Web
and choose not to get tangled up by simply stating “I don’t know” and shifting
the subject.
This
understanding has made the duties of being a Prayer Chaplain a pure pleasure. My memory banks can be deleted like the
current day computer technology as there is no need to remember prayer
requests. I truly am able to release the
prayers to the Universe as we are taught in our training.
I am truly
grateful, another step in our prayer process training, for this useful tool of ‘confidentiality’
that has expanded into my daily life.
Sage
January
13/15
