True Acceptance

So while I was driving to work today I was thinking about blogging and social networks. I was thinking how often I read blogs that bear people's souls. I was also thinking about how this is a foreign concept to many adults...especially older adults who don't understand why people put so much of themselves out there for the world to see. And I had one of those "uh huh" moments. I think it's because deep down people long to be known and to know others. Not just known but accepted. While we are often afraid of people knowing stuff about us I think that deep down people want others to know them and accept them anyway. I think it's easier to do this in writing than to sit face to face with someone and spill your guts. So as I was contemplating our deep desire to be known, accepted and loved for who we are I was thinking about a book I am reading on prayer. The author was speaking about how prayer is really feeling like we are accepted and I got to thinking that this is true. I pour out all my stuff to God. The good and bad. There are days I tell Him how much I don't like what's happening and there are days I'm grateful for what I have in my life. I don't have to worry about Him not loving me because He does.....exactly where I am. I can't hide anything from Him because He knows everything anyway so that would just be silly to try. This led me to think about how many times I long to be real and authentic with people and have them accept me and I get worried that they won't. I'm not sure why this matters so much though if I have the acceptance and love of the very One who created the universe and spoke me into being. If God knows me and accepts me and loves me what am I so worried about with others. Maybe it's that other people aren't God and we seem to rarely accept each other just as we are. There's always some demand that we change something or there's some part of ourselves that if others knew they would be uncomfortable with and talking about. Funny....why should we be surprised that social networks and blogging is so popular. It's a venue for people to simply be. Just an interesting thought....something to contemplate....