We hide from ourselves. We tell ourselves that we want certain things, when we don’t. We tell ourselves we don’t want other things, when we really do.
I believe that one of the true definitions of enlightenment is the ability to be completely truthful with oneself. This is not an easy task.
The true bitch of it is this: Even when you can be completely honest with yourself, it’s nearly impossible to find someone else you can share that with! So we play the game of judging what people want to hear vs. what they SHOULD hear.
And when it’s someone really important to you in some way, that leads to hiding things from yourself, simply because there is no other way to do it. You can’t speak the truth without hurting the other person, and you can’t lie to yourself because you know better. So your subconscious starts hiding certain things from you, and eventually the real truth gets muddled down in all the half facts and convenient truths that we tell ourselves to make the path easier. It’s human nature to take the path of least resistance.
I’m no better at this than anyone else, but I at least try to be cognizant of the fact that I AM at times telling people what they want to hear. And I try to find a place in every conversation where I can smoothly switch over the real truth for people that I think CAN handle it.
It’s hard, and sometimes it’s lonely. But ultimately I think the striving for it makes me, and those around me, better.
2 comments:
another good and insightful reflection. and i think this has a lot of merit as i see people hiding from themselves on a regular basis...
sometimes it is hard to hear the truth, and i think sometimes it's NOT always necessary that you do.
I agree with both of you.
There are some people in my life whom I feel cannot handle the truth and are better off without it.
I also believe that sometimes one person sees something as truth, while another doesn't see the truth the same way.
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