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Jan 13, 2012

"We're never so vulnerable than when we trust someone -- but paradoxically, if we cannot trust, neither can we find love or joy." --Walter Anderson

How Vulnerability Can Be a Strength

The word vulnerable itself comes from the Latin 'vulnerare' which means 'to wound', and so at the root of vulnerability is our own sense of wounded-ness. To be authentic in a moment in which we feel wounded, we have to honestly acknowledge the places where we feel hurt and then muster up the strength to just be with the pain. If we can embrace this vulnerability, we can fully accept the discomfort and learn to observe our entire reality deeply and intimately -- just the way it is. It may seem like such opportunities are rare, but they're surprisingly accessible. Here are a few statements that crack open a beautiful vulnerability within everyday situations: 'I was wrong,' 'I don't know,' 'I am sorry,' 'Thank you,' and 'I love ...'. This article articulates the relationship between vulnerability and strength.