by NATALI PERERA
Recently, I have been thinking about where the phrase “honesty is the best policy” originated from. At first, I thought maybe it was through trial and error. One day, many years ago, someone somewhere decided to lie about something. The outcome was negatively related, and hence, the individual decided that honesty was the best policy for future similar situations. Obviously, a quick search into google informed me that it was in fact a proverb from Benjamin Franklin.
But when is it ok to lie? Some say when it is in the best interest of the other individual. But then, that is wear it gets tricky, because everyone is different. Some people want to be told the truth, as they find the kindness of a lie more desirable, whereas others find the truth to be a harsh reality.
I am known to be highly honest among those around me, because I am a strong believer in honesty being hundred percent the best policy! No matter the question or statement, I always try to deliver it in the most honest way possible.
When I was younger, I was so terrified of telling my parents when I did something wrong. Children have an innate need to please their parents. It is only after a certain age do they lose that need and rebel. I accidently broke my mums candle holder at the age of 9. Everyone was sleeping when it happened and so I remember opening the cupboard and suddenly hearing a shatter of glass. I was struck by panic and what popped into my head was;
1. This is the reason why my parents always told me to wear slippers around the house 2. Should I throw all of glass into the bin and pretend it never happened
Firstly, I did pretend it never happened, but not before I swept it all up, vacuumed the area and swept it again, a second time, just to be safe.
My secret didn’t last long, just until my parents woke up, because I was so consumed with guilt that while I was drying the dishes for my mum, I told her. She did not have a care in the world. She said it was ok and thank you for telling her and that was all. It was so simple. I was swept up in worrying, for no reason. Also, I felt so free after having told her! I mean who knew that such a small materialistic object had the ability to make me worry like ever before. I decided then, that the freeness I felt from having told the truth, was way better for my health than having lied. I mean, I felt so liberated! And isn’t that how you should feel always? You should always do things that don’t require you to feel bad afterwards.
