The Importance of Being Honest

One of the first moral responsibilities we're taught is to be honest. And we all vow to do so, until we come across a time when we have to decide which route inflicts less harm.
Ignorance can be blissful, but nothing is worse than believing a lie. What's worse than that? Believing it so much that it might influence future decisions. And if you're not on the receiving end of a lie, you're the one making the hit. Avoiding the truth can be just as worst.
When it comes to matters of the heart, it's important to be as truthful as you can. Even when it doesn't make sense sometimes. Have you ever had one of those "on paper" moments, where logically everything checks out, but your feelings just don't match up? And you'll toy with it for awhile until eventually everything comes full circle and you have no choice but to face the truth.
Even withholding information is dishonest. No one is ever really comfortable with hidden agendas. And even if we do withhold information for petty reasons, just know that's a calculated risk. We've all paid the price for being petty, in hopes of making better decisions and taking the high road next time.
Yes, the truth can really hurt. Finding out you weren't even a second thought to someone you thought the world of? That sucks. Feeling completely betrayed by someone you've known for years? It's the worst. Not speaking up when it could have really changed the outcome of things? That's the ultimate guilt trip.
But even if the truth gets you so down, eventually (really, eventually) you'll get over it. And that's something that gets overlooked. People give you less credit than you deserve when you're more than capable of handling the truth.
I've been in plenty of these situations, maybe more than I'd like to admit but it helps us grow. Getting through a situation is just part of the process. The most rewarding feeling is looking back at a situation and knowing better next time around.
This last year, I've made time to reflect on the things that really matter and how much hurt could have been avoided--had an honest explanation been given. And I've even taken the risk to be really honest and it's helped my relationships with friends, family, colleagues (though this group can be tricky! Time & place, time & place).

Observe, listen, trust your gut and be honest with yourself.