SaturdayReflections: The Rebirth

How’s your Saturday morning shaping up? Time is relentless, and it waits for no one. You might have noticed my posts have been a bit sporadic lately, but that’s about to change. I’m committed to bringing you these reflections at the same time, every time.

Today, I want to dive into the raw, unfiltered world of honesty, following up on my last article. If you missed it, you can catch up [here]. This week, I had a revealing chat with my brother about the times his brutal honesty didn’t quite fit the moment.

Let me set the stage: My brother is the epitome of honesty. He doesn’t sugarcoat or dodge the truth, no matter the circumstances. Picture this – at his graduation party, his uncle praised him as a model youth, someone who steered clear of smoking and drinking. In front of our parents, siblings, and the entire village, his uncle asked him directly if he had ever indulged. Most would lie without a second thought. Not my brother. He boldly told the truth.

That’s just who he is. He refuses to be defined by a facade. Lying, even to protect himself, would betray his core values. His courage to be truthful, even in the face of potential backlash, is something I deeply admire. If I were in his shoes, I’d probably fumble and fabricate to preserve my image.

The disadvantage of honesty is that may bring punishment for admitting wrongdoing. The advantage of dishonesty is that it enables a person to avoid taking responsibility for his or her actions. The disadvantage of dishonesty is that it undermines a person's integrity and makes him or her untrustworthy.

Walking through the fire of truth, you emerge cleansed and stronger, like a finely crafted Samurai sword. I’m writing about honesty because I’m in the midst of a personal renaissance, confronting and reshaping the parts of myself that I’ve long despised and that could eventually lead to my downfall.