In All Honesty

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Honesty.  Are we really truly honest with ourselves, with other people?  I wonder sometimes if people really know what honesty really is?  How do you know if someone is being honest with you?  How do you know what you read is true and honest?  How do you know what you hear on TV is honest?

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It can be really hard to be honest.  I think most of the time it is hard to be honest because we are fearful.  Fearful that what we are going to say out-loud is going to hurt.  Hurt ourselves and hurt the people around us.  And frankly, I do not think some people want to hear the honest truth.  They would rather not know and live in their own little fantasy world.  


I watch my son's face when he is confronted about something that he has done.  His face speaks it all. It contorts in all sorts of directions and his eyes look scared.   I reassure him that it is good to be honest, that he will be in much deeper trouble if he isn't honest.  And so far, in his four years, he still comes clean with what he has done.  I pray his honesty will stick around for a long time.

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Have you ever done something that you are so scared and upset about that you can't do anything else, but think about it.  Worry about it.  Oh man I have.  This is just one little measly example, but I was so distraught about the whole thing I just about made myself sick.  During the time I was living with my in-laws I would help clean the house and do the dishes.  I was loading the dish washer with some of my mother in-laws nice goblet style glasses and wouldn't you know it, one broke.  Oh the pit in my stomach was huge.  I just knew that she probably got them in Alaska years and years ago.   I could have let the matter go and not say a word, but I just couldn't.  I was honest and let her know what I had done.  And of course I was right.  She got the set years ago in Alaska when she lived there.  Grrrrrrr.  But she was so nice and gracious about it.  All the while, I know she was disappointed.  The pit in my stomach eventually went away and all was good and right in my little world once again.


 Dictionary.com states that honesty is: 
1. the quality or fact of being honest; uprightness and fairness. 
2. truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness.  
3. freedom from deceit or fraud.

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Are you being honest today? Even with the little stuff.  If you can't be honest with the little stuff, how can you be honest with the big stuff in life?   Deuteronomy 25:13-16 says you must live accurate and honest because God does not like dishonesty.  And I would venture to say, that every last one of us that have been lied to, would say we do not like dishonesty either.  It is ugly.


In my little fantasy world everyone would be honest.  Politicians, leaders, businesses, family members, everyone would be honest.  No one would cheat you out of things.  I wonder what the world would look like if we were all honest with one another?  Maybe it would be uglier?  Maybe the things are sugar coated now would melt away?  

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It may hurt at the time, but I have a whole lot of respect for people who can be honest with me.  I would much rather someone tell me, uhhh are you sure you should wear that?  I'm not so sure that vehicle is a good choice, or Selena Marie, shut up and listen to yourself.  Thank God I have had all of those things said to me at some time in my life.  And I thank God for the people who have said it.  When I was younger, to make sure someone would know that I was being completely honest or they were being honest, we would pinkie swear.  Because that is what telling the truth was all about.  Pinkie swearing.  I wonder if we could get some of our politicians to pinkie swear?


While typing up this post I decided to try and find a 'picture of honesty' and that is exactly what I googled.  And you wouldn't believe what I found.  Did you know there is an actual day called Honesty Day??  I had no idea!  Honesty Day is celebrated to encourage people to be honest on April 30th.  Wow.  We have to have a day to realize and recognize we need to be honest.  Wow.  Check it out on the Wiki.  So start practicing now because Honesty Day is coming soon.  I also found a blog called Daily Rant with a post about honesty that I like: Daily Rant.


In all honesty, I am not looking forward to Mother's Day.  I keep hearing all the advertisements on what you should buy for your mother.  I know it is a celebration of mothers.  This is my first Mother's Day as a momma of 3.  But honestly, I am just reminded that I do not have my mother to share it with.  But I will try my best to be present for my kids and my best will just have to be okay.   For now, I will have to be satisfied with remembering the phrase my mom would always say to me.  I am sure you have heard it too.  Honesty is the best policy.

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~ Selena