A dear friend came to me the other day. Through tears, she asked my permission to share a confession. “Of course,” I said, “Are you okay?”
She explained that she had engaged in negative talk about me with a mutual teacher. I paused, felt her genuine heart, locked eyes, and replied, “You know I don’t take this personally. I understand. I understand because I, too, am capable of that.” I know how easily it is to be swept up in the moment and disparage another person in the name of “bonding.”
Perhaps, the more we can admit that we, too, possess both benevolence and hostility, the closer we are to repairing humanity.
Friendship is the highest form of love, devoid of attachment and secrets. Our relationship is real; her courageous act only served as a reminder.