Sunday, March 29, 2009

Transparency and the Transparent

I don't know about you, but transparency has become the new buzz word in my world. I hear it in the media, it comes up in consultations in our clinic and my clients tend to weave it into the threads of their stories in therapy sessions. I like word etymologies, finding that going back to the root of words can often bring fresh insight into the true meaning of a word. The definition of the word transparent is: capable of transmitting light so that objects or images can be seen as if there were no intervening material. The Latin root translates: to be seen through. Anyway you look at it, the word transparency speaks of no hidden agendas, guilelessness, clarity and singularity of intention. In reflecting on transparency I rediscovered this piece by Mother Theresa, which addresses transparency and a whole lot more: People are unreasonable, illogical & self-centered * Love them anyway * If you do good people may accuse you of selfish motives * Do good anyway * If you are successful you may win false friends and true enemies * Succeed anyway* The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow* Do good anyway* Honesty & transparency make you vulnerable* Be honest & transparent anyway* What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight* Build anyway* People who really want help may attack you if you help them* Help them anyway* Give the world the best you have & you may get hurt* Give the world your best anyway* Mother Theresa from Meditations from a Simple Path

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

i love this! thanks for the inspiration