Vulnerability

Well, a month plus has passed and finally I am returning to this blog. I just completed listening to the audio of Dr. Brene Brown's, The Power of Vulnerability. While I first started it as a sort of "self-help" recommended by my daughter, I have found Brown's to hold so much more. Listening and then re-listening and taking notes, has really opened my eyes to me, my reactions, my ways of thinking and doing, leading to a better understanding of myself and of those around me. The big takeaway (for today, at least) is vulnerability, the vulnerability we feel when deciding to open up a discussion about our own cognitive decline or the decline of someone we love.
We are vulnerable when we toss out a "hot topic" as we quickly thumb through so many possible reactions in our heads: Will the listener be scared? Will the listener have too much advice? Will the listener turn away and run? Will the listener pass judgment and then I will find myself on the fringes of my own problem?
It takes bravery to step forward with honesty and determination. It takes courage to ask someone to pull back on the reins and just listen, not jump in with advice. It takes gumption to speak up about the unknown. It takes a special friend to really hear, ponder, and care.
I have a group called "Let's Talk About It". Although I have been trying to build this group for nearly one year, it is still in the fledgling stages. At times I have several attendees, but primarily it is only me and maybe a casual drop-in. As I have wondered about how to expand this outreach, I realize now how vulnerable people must feel when deciding to open up on a painful topic such as Alzheimer's or other dementia. I must continue to be kind, to exude trust, to let people know of my group, and then to hope I can make a difference and be that special friend that someone needs.