In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Truth or Dare.”
The daily posts asks, is it possible to be too honest, or is honesty the best policy?
It’s eerie that this should be the prompt for today. Totally weird that just before I opened my browser to look at the prompt, that I would have had an encounter with a particularly entitled, uptight and just all around generally unpleasant facade of humanity.
It was one of those encounters where you really just want to retaliate verbally, and a year or two ago, hell maybe if it was just one of those kinds of days, I would have. But I didn’t and for that I pat myself on the back. Indeed I displayed the kind of restrain that should win me points against any legal transgressions I might commit in the future.
Yep, a while back in high school, I learned something. Nothing hurts like the truth. It doesn’t have to be a big truth, or even a particularly ground breaking truth, but the right truth, delivered in the right tone, and with just the right amount of aloofness can fell even the most bombastic ego.
You know the ones, the ones who are always smiling, the social butterflies that preen and pose themselves all over for the sake of our admiration. Sometimes, not all times, but sometimes, all that preening and posing is ’cause there really isn’t anything of substance behind the mask. These are the folks who would attract my ire. These are the folks who would receive the one liners of doom.
But not today. Why? Because I realized something quite recently, after laying a grain of debilitating truth on an acquaintance who had become overbearing in his inability to see the feelings of others, over his own ego. I realized that these are the fragile folks. These spiderweb frameworks of, ongoing oratorical on the topic of all things, and pretty baubles, and immaculate grooming, they are all gimmicks to distract from the tiny little neglected child in their mind space that needs not only validation but love.
Yes, I would love to deliver some scalding truth, but that would be like kicking a wounded puppy. So yes always be honest, it gets you really far, but also be kind. Because truth isn’t just a virtue, it’s a weapon that can fell souls.
Random_Michelle 
Absolutely. I’m a pretty patient person when it comes to that kind of thing and will bend over backwards to not hurt anyone. But I lit into my brother the other day. He is so egocentric. He’s coming for a visit to neighboring Evanston, Wyoming the end of the month to give away a goddaughter he hasn’t SEEN or HEARD from in years. Evanston is 90 minutes from here.
He says he hasn’t the time to come here, and he’s upset that my sister and her husband will not drive over to see him. My b-i-l is in rehab at the University of Utah for cancer-related cognitive and physical issues. Does that even make any sense that he would expect that? Should he not have the mental capacity to understand the situation?
I took the opportunity to enlighten him to the fact that the whole does NOT revolve around him! Ever! But that’s a truth that should have been explained to him a LONG time ago, kindly or otherwise. Grrr……. (THAT wound is still pretty fresh, in case you can’t tell.)
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I think that situation would have broken my Zen too. An attitude like that deserves a no holds bard response. But there are silver linings in ever cloud. Imagine if he was your neighbor.
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I absolutely agree with all you say. Many of us, at some time in our lives and in some circumstances, through shame or low self-esteem, place a veneer over what we don’t want others to see. To callously rip it off can be devastating. Far kinder to gently peep behind it and tell a person they are beautiful.
I’m no saint. I mess up all the time. While I think I’ve scraped off most of mine – exposing my flabby muscular tissue and raw bone in the process, I’m sometimes intolerant of those who are still hiding.
Enough of the metaphor already!
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Oh Jane these are times when I hope someone invents the love button soon. ” Far kinder to gently peep behind it and tell a person they are beautiful.
I’m no saint. I mess up all the time. While I think I’ve scraped off most of mine – exposing my flabby muscular tissue and raw bone in the process,..” I don’t think it could have been better said. And I love your metaphor
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You bring out the poet in me. That sounds like a flippant remark, but you’re one of the three poets who inspired me to start openly writing poetry when this blog was a baby, and I think I was lucky, because although i’ve read a lot of poetry since, I’ve only found a few poets who impress me.
I think I may shape that metaphor into a poem. Now.
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