A lot of people tell me their
secrets. They trust me. Because I’m a trusted confidant for a number of people,
I turn to God, journaling, and writing to cope with this honored yet weighty
task. Galatians 6:2 reads, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you
will fulfill the law of Christ.” Being trusted with other peoples’ secrets
demands a level of confidentiality that shouldn’t be betrayed. Although I’m a
writer that aims to be as authentic and vulnerable as possible, I still have
boundaries. So as long as no one else is being harmed, endangering others, or
committing a criminal act, the secrets confided to me won’t be shared. I’ve
seen and heard people break other peoples trust by going public with different things
that should have remained private. I maintain that even if you’re no longer in
good standing with someone who’s confided in you, you shouldn’t betray or hurt
that person by telling their secrets. That’s wrong and you wouldn’t want
someone to do that to you. In the past, I made the mistake of opening up to
people I probably shouldn’t have and now, I’m more mindful of who can be
trusted and who can’t. I’m also reminded that I have a God to talk to. Often, I
retreat to my own secret place. A place where it’s just me and God, that allows
me to clear my head and be completely open and at peace, away from all the
noise and demands of life. I find that I’m most peaceful when I’m just spending
time in His presence. I pray consistently, ask Him questions, and sometimes I’m
just silent and still (especially since He already knows what I’m thinking and
feeling.) Psalm 46:10 reads, “Be still…” Today, I encourage anyone reading this
to make and take time to just be still. God loves you and loves spending time
with you. Embrace that secret place just reserved for you and Him. One of my
favorite gospel singers, Karen Clark-Sheard has a beautiful song called A Secret Place (here) that’s been a reminder of this. Make
time for God. He makes time for you.
I’m a Black educator in my fifth year of teaching middle school English, and in my third as the 8th Grade English PLC (Professional Learning Community) Lead. And while I genuinely enjoy the purposeful work I get to do, seeing the growth of my scholars, and continuing to hone my skills in a content area I’ve loved since I was a little girl, I’ve had to confront some unpleasant experiences in this space. I’d been through much worse when I was an academic advisor at a Christian university. Racism, sexism, harassment, and workplace bullying were sadly norms in that environment. However, some of what I’ve experienced as a Black educator hasn’t been normal … It doesn’t seem normal to be the only Black educator in my department – in a predominantly Black school. One of my Black colleagues once said, “It should look like a Tyler Perry movie in here.” But it doesn’t. It didn’t feel normal being reprimanded in a meeting (during my second year of teaching) by an administrator who went in on...