The truth

I was raised to always tell the truth. In fact, I never even thought about telling anything but the truth, and I never hoped to ‘tell a fib’ and get away with it. Maybe I did as a little kid but I certainly don’t remember. If I did try to lie I am pretty sure I was called out about it. I was raised with a healthy amount of guilt I guess. And I just knew right from wrong. Lying was wrong.

Because of the way I was raised, not needing to lie, not wanting to lie, well, to this day I can’t lie. really. If I lie it will eat away at me. I don’t want that.

I remember hearing at a young age that telling one lie can lead to telling more lies, and stories get more outrageous. Lies grow. They make life complicated. No thanks. I don’t want to try to keep track of what I say, and worry about ‘stories’ , and that is why I always say I am an open book.

Looking back I don’t remember being lied to about anything consequential. And, because I was around good people, they were people who did not make lying ‘a thing.’ I never had to deal with disappointments from fake stories, and massive exaggerations.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I know sometimes people tell a ‘little white lie’ because they don’t want to hurt someone. I get that. But, living life telling lies, and having no problem with it, and thinking ‘everybody lies’ is pretty foreign to me.

Honesty is a virtue. Honesty is living a true life. Honesty is acknowledging mistakes. Honesty is learning to apologize when needed.

So, this is why lying in politics is very offensive to me. Now, I know both political parties have people who lie. But, statistically ex-president Trump has been, and is, the king of lies. He has lived his whole life telling them without remorse. He lies to help himself. They are not ever for helping others. He repeats his lies so much that I guess at some point he thinks they are true. I believe he has a psychological condition that makes him lie so much without feeling bad about it.

We are at a place and time now where the need to be real and honest, and to have integrity, is needed but hard to find. But I think we need to emphasize it again. I worry about our grandchildren. I worry about living in peace. I fear the endless amount of lies will create constant distrust.

Am I so unusual to want honesty again?

Does it matter to you that are politicians lie so much? Will that make a difference when you vote?