Last week at the DNC, we glimpsed Gus, the son of vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz, in an unguarded, moment, filled with pride and love, crying, and saying, ‘That’s my dad!’ For me and millions of others, that raw, unfiltered emotion choked us up. It was a beautiful moment, such a clear window into a pure love.

But for many others, trained perhaps to hide their own emotions and toughen up as they age, that moment led to mockery and cruel responses.

What accounts for such wildly different responses?

Perhaps the difference lies in how we view vulnerability, which in turn, colors how we trust others. Do we feel like we must mask our emotions and vulnerabilities? Do we feel like we must project only a polished and tough persona?

Brené Brown says,

Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.

Do we really believe the bully is the strong one? Perhaps the strong one is the one brave enough to be honest and true.