Part two: To thy own
self be true
Peace of mind comes from honesty. It is the
dishonest who experience anxiety, anger, depression, and ultimately despair.
It is the wish and intention to deceive that is
the root of all evil and leads to conflict and war. The worst war is the
conflict within oneself between the false self and the authentic self. The
worst dishonesty is self deception where one murders one’s own soul because
they have lied so much they forget who they really are.
Where, when, and with whom can you express what
you really think, how your really feel, and what you really want? Who knows, if
even yourself, what really matters to you?
Knowing what really matters to you, is the
source of your faith. People often say one thing for approval or to get along
or to manipulate others, when deep in their hearts they know that their
presentation is a deception. The problem arises when a person starts to believe
their own deceptions.
Shakespeare has written “To thine own self be
true.” Socrates said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” Grandfather
said, “Honesty is the best policy,” and Diogenes roamed the earth with his
lantern looking for a honest person.
If a person is to cultivate the virtue of
honesty, they must begin with themselves. Lying to oneself is the biggest
impediment to happiness that exists. Lying to others is bad enough, but lying
to oneself is deadly.
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