I guess there have been times in my life when I have tried to dance around the truth in order to spare someones feelings. But more commonly, I get into trouble for telling the truth too bluntly.
I once promised an employer that I would tell him the truth even when it was not in my best interests to tell it, and even when he didn't really want to hear it. I told him I hoped to be valued for that. I think people in authority ought to appreciate someone who will lay things out for them and not mislead them. Being afraid to speak the truth is really abhorrent to me.
When I was in early grade school our playground was covered with rough stone, and we were not allowed to run in the playground for fear of injury. One day, in my little girl exuberance, I ran a few steps. Within seconds, I felt a rough hand on the back of my collar. An older boy who was assigned as a playground monitor had grabbed me.
He said, "You were running!"
Trembling I replied, "No, I wasn't. I didn't run."
I immediately hated myself not just for lying, but for lying out of fear. That bothered me for years and may have provided me with the compulsion to blurt out the truth when no one wants to hear it. It turns out that this is viewed as a character flaw.
However, having a reputation as a truth-teller no matter what has been advantageous in the past couple of days. My mother-in-law has recently made considerable progress in recovering from the stroke she suffered at the beginning of April. Yesterday when I told her how well she was doing and what an improvement I could see, she said, "When anyone else tells me that, I think they are just flattering me. When you tell me, I believe it." She seemed genuinely encouraged, and I was delighted that she knew I would give it to her straight.
It's nice to know that sometimes this character "flaw" can be of benefit.
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