Stained Glass (noun):  Colored glass used to form decorative or pictorial designs, both by painting and especially by setting contrasting pieces in a lead framework like a mosaic.

Everything we experience in life has an opportunity to tell a story.  Our successes and failures have the potential to serve as roadmaps that could encourage others to keep pushing, while at the same time, providing insight on how their story could potentially end.

I sometimes find myself being selective in the information I share with others, mostly with new people I meet, but sometimes with childhood friends.  I would justify my behavior by saying, “I’m just reserved, everyone doesn’t need to know my business”. Although,  that could legitimately be my excuse, the truth is, I’m terrified of being vulnerable, without having any control of the outcome.  I’ve been trained to keep it together, and never show my hand because the world could take advantage.  However, when being reserved kept me from being authentic and living my best life, I had to make a CHOICE and I CHOOSE to embrace every aspect of me! Although, this choice does not change the fact that I am still terrified of being vulnerable (being in control is a whole other post), I will just have to do it afraid!  Thus far, it’s proven to be a relief, in that I have the opportunity to take a REAL inventory of my strengths and weaknesses.  But most importantly, not only can I identity them, I can also change the things I don’t like and sharpen the things I love.

Frequently, we walk around life secretively withholding all of the broken pieces to our stories, in an effort to protect ourselves from being judged or hurt by others. But, “What If”, the broken pieces of your story were like “stained glass” and makes for a beautiful design? “What if”, your story could help inspire another person to share their story, and that person’s story could aid in the change of a community, in which the story of the residents within that community’s story, could change a nation.  We all have a story and stories are meant to be told!

“What If”, all of your life experiences had a color, what BEAUTIFUL story would it tell?  Each design is unique to the individual, but the beauty in it all is that we come from different backgrounds but together the colors of our stories, create the perfect picture.

“Live your story and don’t be afraid to share it with others”,