When is it Appropriate ?
Our focus this week — Nov 26-Dec 2: “Vulnerable Honesty”
Today’s MotD: When is it Appropriate ? Today just happens to be Thanksgiving Day (at least, here in America) and probably one of the worst days to express vulnerable honesty…for example:
Telling your Aunt June that you’ve always hated her green bean casserole but that you ate it because your parents made you do it. (now granted, everyone else at the table may feel the same way, wishing someone had the nerve to say something, and even be grateful that you were the one to say it, but maybe privately telling her weeks before would be more appropriate, so she could come up with an alternative.)
Telling your mother you’re vegan, now that she’s just set the table with a traditional Thanksgiving meal. (nothing against being vegan, however it probably would have been more appropriate to bring this up months before, giving you and your mother an opportunity to come up with an altered menu that would work for everyone.)
Announcing to your family and friends, just as you all sit down to eat, that you’re moving to India to live in an ashram because you need to find yourself…after they all helped you and supported you while you got your four-year Computer Science degree. (again, nothing wrong with moving to India to live in an ashram, but bringing this up on Thanksgiving may be an inappropriate time…at the very least, wait till after dessert when everyone is doped up on tryptophan and/or sugar.)
And don’t even get me started with appropriateness when it comes to expressing vulnerable honesty regarding sex, religion, and/or politics.
While we’re encouraged to express vulnerable honesty whenever possible—after all, honesty is the best policy, right ?—we’re also encouraged to use some discretion as to when, where, and with whom to do so.
If we feel the need to express, we’re reminded to just pause for a moment to assess the appropriateness of said “expression”. Is this the best time to do it ? Is this the place to do it ? Is it appropriate for this person (or these people) to hear it ?
How about you ? How are you at discerning when, where, and with whom to express vulnerable honesty ? Do you tend to just blurt it out in the moment because the spirit moved you to do so ? Do you tend to hold off as long as possible, thinking everything has to be perfect before you’ll share ?
BTW…Here’s the before…the front and back view of today’s puzzle piece and the pretty ceramic box that holds all my numbers from which I randomly choose each day’s puzzle piece number:
Peace & Blessings,
Maureen
The Mandala Lady
🔆 transforming soul whispers into mandalas and channeled messages
ABOUT THE 2025 Mandalas of the Day
Throughout the year, I’ll be building one large (48”x48”) Tibetan-styled Mandala one piece at a time…one puzzle piece at a time, that is. The mandala design and the reversed puzzle side were printed on artist-quality watercolor paper. The forward facing puzzle side was printed on a 48”x48” wood panel.
Each day, at random, I’ll be painting in watercolors one of the 365 watercolor puzzle pieces, that by the end of the year will become Archangel Mandala #4. Read more about the Archangel Series. The word/message for each piece will be inspired by Melody Beattie’s book “52 Weeks of Conscious Contact”.
Ultimately, the message of this mandala is about how we are all uniquely part of the one.
Mandala of the Day 