I did a writing prompt with my students which was simple: write about a lie. I remember sitting there, pen in hand, and the blank page in front me was getting longer and longer. I finally began with the prompt and took off from there.

Write about a lie. Hm, okay, people lie all the time to themselves and to others:

about who they are or who they want to be, about their habits and family, about relationships, about how fast they are, how much weight they can lift, how good a shot they are, how many times they’ve done something, how virtuous or moral they are, how much they like or don’t like someone, how healthy they are, how old they are.

They lie to hide: who they’re seeing, conversations they’ve had, how much money they make, how much cake they ate, why they’re late, or why something isn’t done.

It must be hard to remember all those lies. Wouldn’t it be easier, simpler, to just own the truth and take the consequences? The repercussions come one way or another.