…today’s secret…Halloween time.
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You gotta go back thousands of years to get your full Halloween history.

One core Halloween theme is the relationships between the living and the dead.

Every recorded civilization has some ritual associated with the dead returning to visit somebody again.

And so, because those visits might be unpleasant, the living began wearing masks to ward off the unwelcome spirits.

The marginalized population(s) you are helping don’t need to become Darth Vader, Brrr Rabbit, Barbie or Ken for a day. Their mask is the face God gave them and they wear it 24/7.

The marginalized duck your questions. They hide their real self to cover up their past or give you answers you need to help them to get what you got.

Wouldn’t we do the same if roles were switched? Don’t we do something like this now when we want to impress a stranger?

I think I telling you something you already know.

Me? I have to know you well to offer you any unsolicited advice. Unsolicited advice is like junk mail to me. Yes, I give advice here weekly, but broad-audience-advice doesn’t carry the same impact as one-on-one advice.

You are working one-on-one with your people. You need information from them to help them. Isn’t it ironic that when they need to be the most honest to get your best, they choose to fudge or lie to place themselves in your best possible light?

If you are not careful, any advice you give them can challenge their belief system, their view of the world, or even their interpretation of past experiences.

When you look them in the eye know that you are looking at their mask. Then, tread lightly. Their life is not built upon a mistake. Like you, they are worthy of loving and being loved.

Worthiness is not the issue here. The issue is trust and how fast you can build it.

Me? I’m not going anywhere this Halloween. I haunt people 24/7 by just being around them.