The Truth

Do you believe everyone should tell the truth? Well, I believe everyone else should... but occasionally I need to lie.

I lie mostly for domestic tranquility. For instance, here are three questions from a spouse that could require an untruthful response: 1. “Do you think this haircut looks too young for me?”

2. “Where would our son find a magazine like this?”

3. “I’m sure I had a $20 bill at the top of my purse. Have you seen it?

I didn’t start out as a liar. But faced with a situation where I can get yelled at, I find fibs an attractive alternative.

Lies are as old as humankind. But we don’t know how old humankind is, because so many of them lied about their ages.

Stone Age storytellers also invented tales that taught important lessons. Today we call them “fables.” Back then they were called “lying around the campfire.”

People lie for money. These stories could be called fiction, fabrication, or -- in some cases -- resumes.

Truth-telling, however, builds trust. People buy from trustworthy people, who can use the money to start trust funds. I trust my funds to make money, so eventually I can just lie around.

Yep, in the long run it’s better to tell the truth. I plan to do it myself...pretty soon.