Lies

Pedro trudged in tired and slumped in his arm chair. He told his three-year-old daughter, ‘if someone calls, say I am not at home!’ She had begun to pick up the phone every time it rang and he wanted to ensure that he is not disturbed.

Within a few minutes, the ringing phone drew the little one. She said, ‘This is Sanya speaking… Who are you?’ The voice on the other side was cheerful, ‘Hi Sanya! This is Uncle Pavan… is your father home?’

The child was confused… she knew Uncle Pavan was a close friend of her father. To clarify, she asked her father, ‘It is Uncle Pavan! Should I say you are at home or not?’ Pedro was aghast as he knew Pavan would have heard her question.

He rushed to the phone and was reprimanded by his friend, ‘how can you teach an innocent child to lie?’ Pedro tried to explain, ‘I was tired’… Pavan was livid, ‘you could have told her to say that you are tired and that you will call back later!’

We lie because we don’t see the larger benefit of telling the truth. When we choose truth, we choose ease. Pedro never realised that not only was he choosing greater complications by lying… he was setting a bad example to the one he wanted to influence and inspire.  

The lure of lies is deceptive. It creates a false sense of complacency that may make us tell a second lie to prop up the first and follow it with an unending sequence. The truth saves from deviating from our values. It saves us from falling from trust in minds, when they know that we are lying.

From the lure of lies, keep away

From the truth, do not go astray!

~ Pravin K. Sabnis