Being Vulnerable

I am a big fan of the ironies of life. I don’t always like them when they are happening to me, but even then they amaze me. One of the biggest ironies is that in order to fully enjoy life and relationships we need to open ourselves up and be vulnerable. Vulnerable means “capable of being physically or emotionally wounded.” Doesn’t sound like much fun, does it? And yet it has to be.


If we go through life drawing back, hovering, protecting, never fully committing because we are afraid of being hurt, we will never enjoy the richness of life or have relationships that bring lasting and deep satisfaction. And yes, sometimes that means we will be hurt. Disappointments will come. People will hurt us. And we will be tempted by thinking that if we’d never tried, or if we’d never opened ourselves up like that we would not have been hurt.

But the risk we take is worth it. Opening ourselves up to life and to others brings opportunities for a life full of growth, joy, increased substance, but most of all to deep and abiding love.