Today's Thought - January

[bluidkiti]

January 2

I have one request:
may I never use my reason against truth.

~Elie Wiesel

Honesty with ourselves is a great asset in every situation we confront. The skill to look reality square in the face and call it what it is takes us a good distance toward coping with it. However, many of us also have the skill to spin or rationalize our actions so that we don't have to face something unpleasant. That skill provides us with excuses and evasions, but it is the greatest betrayal of ourselves.

When we use our brain to cleverly cover the truth of our actions, we often believe our own lies, and then they keep us stuck. Just as dishonesty builds and grows on itself, so does honesty. We cannot one day decide to be honest and change in a flash because we don’t see all of our self-deceit yet. But we can make the decision to be as honest as we know how. Then we will soon be surprised by how much is revealed to us as the fog of our self-deceit lifts and our honesty builds on itself.

Today, I will strive to see reality as it is and not shape it to suit my ego’s desires.

Today's reading is from the book Stepping Stones: More Daily Meditations for Men*