Dangerous Words

This is an assignment I did for my literature class called dangerous words,( hence the title.) He gave us a list of words and we were to choose one and write how it has been a part of our lives and shaped our beliefs. There came a point in my life that I was forced to ponder on the value of telling the truth, and what it meant to me. There are many reasons why I value truth. The most important of them being that I value relationships. Trust is the foundation to all relationships. If trust does not exist in a relationship then it amounts to next to nothing. As humans we all need a safe harbor. A place without fear of rejection or judgement. When we have this in a relationship we can open ourselves up and it makes room for real growth. But in doing this we also open ourselves up to vulnerability. Lies are not just told, they are born. Once one is created it is an entity all on it's own and effects not only the liar but also those that are unknowingly lied to. A lie can take all involved on a painful detour from how things actually are. Once told, a lie bends and distorts reality. It taints all time there after, until it is exposed and destroyed by the truth; which is inevitable since nothing lives forever, except truth. Truth and truth seeking is how we progress. That is why it is such a disservice to ourselves and others when we lie. Telling lies, especially to ourselves, basically defeats the purpose of our existence.