Poker Face

A fellow chaplain said to me that I will hear every story in the spectrum of life and to not be surprised by any of it. I am so glad that I play poker because I needed my poker face several times in the last few weeks.

I have found that by not acting shocked by what I hear, it gives the marine or sailor the ability to continue to share their story without feeling judged.

At the same time, as has become the theme these last few weeks, the question is, to whom do I turn? Due to confidentiality issues, I cannot share what is said to me and yet, I need to be able to compartmentalize what I hear and not "take it home with me."

I am blessed to be surrounded by chaplains that are more than colleagues but are also friends. I would not be as successful as I am without them.

I should be so blessed (God willing) that everywhere I go, I am surrounded by amazing people who I can lean on when the weight of my job becomes too hard to bear alone.