To Lie or Tell the Truth?

Honesty is a virtue, but the degree to which we follow it is definitely a question.  Are even the most truthful people, really truthful?  The reality is that the truth can hurt, and we are constantly faced with the decision of whether we should hide it, reveal parts of it, or just spill it out.  Some cannot bear the guilt of telling a lie, whereas, others can easily hold it in.  In today's world, we see liars that range from the typical “Mommy I didn't eat any cookies” to shocking investment schemes.  From my experience, lying is immoral and wrong.  Even if I tried, I wouldn't be a good liar.  My facial expressions would give it all away.  The bottom line is that all liars will eventually be brought to justice.  I do not approve of lying, even when it is clearly to my benefit.  Stephen King once said, “The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool” (ThinkExist).  I cannot bear the thought of abusing someone else’s trust, even though there were times when I should have considered taking the dark path.  Nonetheless, in most cases my honesty is an asset and a personal strength.  Being honest to myself helps me address my weaknesses.  For example, if I do not do a good job on something, I will admit it.  In addition, being honest has allowed me to gain people’s trust.  

I am just going to set something straight as an honest person:  I cannot admit that I never lie.  There have been instances where I may have made fake excuses to get myself out of something I did not want to do.  But, the general idea from this post is that lying creates more problems than it solves.  If you lie to cover up a mistake, it just makes you more at fault.  Worst of all, if you get caught lying, the consequences are much harsher than if you simply tell the truth.  The idea is “I did it and I’m sorry” is much better than “He did it.”