Tell the Truth

A call to embrace radical honesty in a world flooded with fear, manipulation, and silence. This piece confronts the cost of hiding truth and the liberation that follows when we speak it.

There was a time, a fleeting moment from my past, when honesty was more than just a word; it was the very foundation of existence. You see, during my childhood, my mother once told me a story – as an adult, mind you – about a child she was on the brink of adopting. The deal breaker? He told a lie. I know it sounds like something out of an Aaron Sorkin script, where a character passionately goes on a tirade about the state of our nation. But this was real. It was visceral. It was my mother’s way of illustrating her unyielding belief in honesty.

You know what’s curious about the American dream? It’s intertwined with stories of honesty and virtue. But somewhere along the line, we’ve lost sight of it. As kids, my siblings and I were only allowed to play with ‘Good Guy’ toys. But youthful rebellion and imagination being what they are, we made our own “evil twins” of the good guys, pretending they were bad. Now, why did we feel the need to do that? Was it some inherent understanding that the world isn’t just black and white? Or was it just an innocent play?

When you steer away from the truth, you don’t just stray; you dig a hole. One that only gets deeper with every twisted tale, every concealed fact, until it becomes an abyss. You think you can climb out anytime, but that’s just it, you can’t. And as you keep piling on these untruths, your memory falters. It starts losing track. It becomes a jumbled mess of what was, what might’ve been, and what you wish it were.

“You may be able to lie to others, but the one person you can never lie to is yourself.” The sentiment rings as true as the day I first spoke about it. Sometimes, I find myself being brutally honest, to the point where I won’t mince words. Honesty may indeed be the best policy, but let’s not kid ourselves – not everyone wants to hear it. Yet, there are those who need to. And sometimes, the most painful truths are the ones we need to face head-on.

However, in this woven tapestry we call life, there’s a disconcerting reality. At times, it seems as if deceit and misconduct are more rewarded than integrity. But if history – both personal and universal – has shown us anything, it’s that the truth, however brutal or unsettling, will always find its way to the light.

Life is complex. My childhood memories might be clouded due to the trauma I endured, and many stories from those days escape me. But the value of honesty, as shared by my mother, has been a steadfast beacon. In this intricate dance called life, if there’s one partner you want by your side, it’s truth