~ Winston Churchill
I know that many of you are probably wondering what this entry is going to be about, since the title is rather vague. I didn't want to come up with some elaborate title - that would contradict what I'm blogging about. This blog is about truth, or more specifically, why I value truth so much, and why I think truth is the most beautiful thing in the world.
To me, truth does not only refer to cold, hard facts. Truth stretches beyond the fact that 1 + 1 = 2, or that the capital of Germany is Berlin. There's truth in death. We were all born, we are currently living, and one day, we will die. Our bodies will decompose and we'll eventually turn to dust. That's a depressing truth, but it's there nonetheless. No; I'm not an emo - I'm just a realist (with a hint of cynicism). I think that there's something beautifully tragic about searching for answers to life. Excuse me if I sound nihilistic, but that's my opinion. There's so much truth in tears, whether they be of sadness or joy. They just about always flow involuntarily, unless you're an actor, but even still, there are some actors who are overwrought by emotion when shooting a powerful scene. There's truth in rejection, in heartbreak, in sabotage...in suicide. You're probably wondering why I find all of this truth so beautiful. It's because it reminds us that we're living. I have lived through 6,478 days since I was born, and most of them have been uneventful. With most days, we wake up, stay at home, then go to bed at the end of it. When something tragic happens, it awakens us and makes us take action. It makes us feel things. Sometimes we are introduced to new emotions, but that's healthy for the human condition. Now...I'm not a complete pessimist, and I see the truth and subsequent beauty in times of joy too. There's truth in a father taking his son to McDonald's because his team won the grand final in a football competition. There's truth in the dust that floats down to the floor when you remove a forgotten childhood novel from a bookshelf. There's truth in the private fist pumps that no-one else sees after you've accomplished some gargantuan task. In essence, the truth that I have discussed in this paragraph is found in the crevices that are tucked away in the cosy corners of life. Sometimes the truth isn't that subtle. It may even creep up on you without you even noticing. Fundamentally, truth is being born, living, and eventually dying.
Now it's time to talk about truth, as in "the opposite of lies." Don't lie to me; just don't. Please. I find it very disrespectful. When I find out that someone has told me a lie, I feel disappointed, as though I haven't earned someone's trust. And trust me, I generally will find out. I don't care if the truth is harsh, because knowing a harsh truth beats falling for a fabricated lie, only to discover it was false, later down the track. Isn't it so much easier to be truthful? Mark Twain once comically remarked "If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything." That statement is so true. A liar only makes matters more difficult for himself/herself. What particularly annoys me are those people who lie to simply advance themselves past their counterparts, or those who lie because they know they've committed an act of wrong, but are too gutless to cop the consequences. Lying for the sake of a prank is excusable, as long as it's all in good fun, and you know that the person on the receiving end would take it that way as well. Another type of lie that is often excusable is the lie told when one fears embarrassment. I mean, if a guy was to ask his friends "Which girl do you like the most at this party?" some of his friends would feel too shy to reveal their answer, and they have the right to keep the answer to themselves. Of course, people generally tell lies because they feel insecure with themselves. They're afraid to be their true selves, because they are terrified of what they might say. My final piece of advice for you all is to substitute lying with concealment whenever possible. That is; don't go around telling people something completely untrue to cover up something in your life. Instead, don't tell them anything at all, and your secret should remain safe.
Thanks for reading; 'twas a pleasure to write,
Steven
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