My parents always used to tell us when we were growing up to "never tell a lie because you will just have to tell another to cover up for that one, and another to cover up for that one, and on and on." And, oh, by the way, you will be caught -- sooner or later, someone will learn of your deception.
Mom and Dad were right -- so right.
I don't care to get on a soapbox about the importance of honesty. I do have to say, though, that when I learn that someone I've trusted -- whether personally or professionally -- has been involved in some deceptive activities, it does cause me to pause and wonder if they've always been completely honest with me.
If you feel like you have to hide or be secretive about some activity you're involved in, that probably means you shouldn't be involved in it. And once you see or experience the dishonesty, betrayal, or deception of someone, building that trust again can be a long, long process. Unfortunately, sometimes that rebuilding is really never completed.
I guess it really does come back to the Golden Rule -- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Being honest may be the tougher road to travel, but isn't having the trust and respect of those around you worth it??
A couple of weeks ago I received a call from my brother that our sweet Aunt Clarice had passed away. She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's just a few years ago, and this merciless disease had taken yet another member of our family. And yet, in the midst of our grief, we celebrated her.