True to Yourself

What should I do?

What should I be?

Where should I go?

These are the questions that children ask their parents and that parents ask themselves. We all want answers. Answers range, but narrowly. “Follow your heart” is a popular but platitudinous answer, dripping in emotion and vague. So what is left?

Truth. But truth comes at a high cost. Not that it is not worth it. It is, but it takes a lifetime. And it takes failure. Truth demands that the “heart” take a backseat. Truth demands questions. And truth changes. It depends upon situations and perspective.

Truth starts simple enough, with a belief. But then things get difficult. We have to justify the truths that we find. Others demand it and we demand it from ourselves. The first lesson is that we must be true to others. The second lesson is that we must be true to ourselves.

Don’t misunderstand. We cannot live for others. We cannot live for our children or our spouses. But we must be truthful with them. Being true to yourself, well…that’s another thing altogether. We may tell the truth to those we care about, but we easily lie to ourselves.

Being true to yourself takes courage and will often lead you to places unknown and surprises not thought about. Anyway, in the end what else is there but truth. It is the only thing that matters.