The Power of Trust

The Power of Trust

John Paul Derryberry

Huey Lewis and the News sang about the power of love. I respectfully disagree with Mr. Lewis and his news. The real power of relationships lies in the power of trust that we create between each other. No love, no matter what the chemical bond and heat, can withstand a lack of trust. I get the appeal of the power of love. Plus, the power of trust just isn't as catchy to sing about. 

One day recently, when I checked my email, there was a blast from the past. The mom of a child I had helped over ten years ago had sent me a message.  I have never done family therapy, so my interactions with this mother had consisted of updates on her daughter's progress. I had.enjoyed working with her daughter. She struggled with self-worth issues but had a great sense of humor. The hard part about working with people who struggle with mental health is that you rarely, if ever, get to understand the impact you have had on their lives. They are long gone once the seeds you planted bloom or wilt, and updates are always few and far between. 

The email said that the mom had written about her life and was searching for someone to read the draft,, provide notes, and feedback. I don't need to explain to you how deeply personal and revealing memoirs are. It's what makes them so powerful and why readers consume them so often. This mother had reached out to her daughter for suggestions about who would treat her writing with care, compassion, and most importantly, who she could trust with her life. Her daughter quickly responded, send it to John, my old staff. 

Ten years later, this young woman, now in her late twenties, remembered the effort I had put into gaining her trust when she was a struggling teen. She had decided to trust me again. It validated the way I had treated her as a teen. It displayed the power of putting my faith in a wellness and healing journey. Finally, it reminded me of how little we know about the immeasurable effect we have on those around us or the tremendous impact our interactions imprint on them. And that's the power, the power of Trust!