"I am my secrets. And you are your secrets. Our secrets are human secrets, and our trusting each other enough to share them with each other has much to do with the secret of what it is to be human."(F. Buechner "Listening to Your Life." p. 324)
What does that mean that I am my secrets? My best guess is that the real us, is not usually what we actually present to the general public. Perhaps to our closest friends we may confide these things, and to those in our family that we love dearly. I know that I sometimes surprise people who don't know everything about me. In some ways I'm a stereotypical priest, but there are aspects of me that do not fit neatly into the stereotype.
Why I think that our secrets and choosing to share them with others is ultimately about trust. Trust is something I would rather give and certainly feel honored when people trust me that way. Their is a sharing and a deeper relationship that way.
I also know that this is true about my relationship with God. There is in the Book of Common Prayer what is known as the collect for purity. In that prayer it is said that to God all hearts are open, all desires known and no secrets are hid. I'm sure there is nothing about me that God doesn't know. I'm sure there are things about me I wish God didn't know, but feel blessed that God has a sense of humor.
Blessings,
Ed
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