Today, I was part of my family’s first full vulnerability session.
It is typical for us to share what is comfortable with family, but share what is uncomfortable with strangers.
Mainly because strangers listen with fascination, while family listens with judgment. We prefer twinkling eyes to wrinkling brows.
So we made a pact to truly listen, and offer suggestions, not solutions. Suggestions mean the person has a choice, solutions remove your choice. Suggestions are possibilities, solutions are forcibilities.
It was the most open conversation we have had as a family. We planned one hour, it took us four hours to get through all we needed to unpack.
I am thankful for family. If you get family right, you have it all.
