An old connection recently shared a poetic moment from Shakespeare’s Macbeth:

“False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”

Macbeth tells the story of a Scottish Army general who receives a prophecy from three witches that tell him he will one day be the king of Scotland. It is tale of the psychological repercussions of unbridled ambition. The play’s main themes include loyalty, guilt, innocence, and fate. 

I blogged about Shakespeare’s Julius Ceasar – the theme of loyalty is also key in this tragedy. When I think about it, loyalty ties to authenticity, doesn’t it? Loyalty is about being authentic to yourself and to your relationships. It is often about making the tougher choice, about taking the path least traveled. Loyalty, more than anything, is about having the courage to have honest conversations. About doing the hard thing. Being loyal is not easy… unless you are a dog, of course.

Dr. Nicole LePera (@Theholisticpsyc) shared a Tweet which resonated profoundly with me. It connects to themes in MacBeth, Julius Ceasar, and life:

When people betray you, they’re revealing themselves. Their immaturity, their wounding, their lack of integrity. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. Just means it isn’t personal.

We have all been betrayed and we have certainly been part of betraying others. But why? What is the trigger that initiates the betrayal? What is considered the proverbial “line”? And can we ever go back once that line has been crossed? I suppose the answers lie in our capacity for forgiveness. To forgive and forget is a noble cause but does forgiving and forgetting help us sleep at night?

What keeps you up at night?