What is truth? It is the uncomfortable feeling that we get in the pit of our stomach when we have to tell another something difficult and painful that they do not want to hear, or admit to others that we are flawed and have made mistakes, sometimes terrible mistakes. Telling little white lies may seem innocent enough, even righteous when spun to prop up our beliefs and traditions or to protect the feelings of the sensitive and innocent, but big dark lies are always built upon a wide foundation of tiny white lies. Because lying is incremental, the longer it is indulged, the easier it becomes to do, until one day, even if we desire to be honest, we find ourselves unable to be truthful about anything. If the voice within, which has always dissuaded us from speaking falsely, has grown silent, if we continue to deceive ourselves into believing that the lies we tell don’t really matter or are true, even when we know that they are not, it is self-evident that we have allowed deception to infect the mind.
It matters little if the falsehood told is unimportant and inconsequential, serving up a lie is as senseless and offensive as offering a gift of garbage to a dear friend. Though pleasing to the eye so perfectly wrapped in its distracting brightly colored paper, even if it remains unopened, not only will we know what we have done, in time, our friend will surely begin to smell the truth. In this negative power grabbing world of greed and corruption, the precious commodities of honesty and integrity are rare indeed and trust hard won. Wisdom is the understanding that, whether business or personal, trusting relationships which we have built through years of honest interactions, can be wiped away after being caught in even a single act of deception. While we may be forgiven, we will never again be trusted.
Being truthful takes great humility, courage, and responsibility, especially when our actions have caused others seemingly irreputable harm. When we understand that we are students in life and not experts, that we are in this world, not to be perfect, but to learn through our mistakes, regardless of the consequences, we will begin to speak the truth. As the ego loosens its hold, as one’s spiritual perspective rises, our intuitive meter, which allows us to recognize and appreciate truth and honesty within ourselves and others, also rises. Imbued with the power to inspire and uplift, truth in any world, especially when it is difficult to hear, is always a heroic beacon of light to others. While we may come to accept that no one in this world will ever be perfect, it is within everyone’s scope and ability to one day become perfectly honest. A person who is honest with themselves, will always be honest with others!
