Honesty

As we grow older, we stop doing a lot of things. We stop throwing temper tantrums, going trick-or-treating, coloring on the walls with crayons, making forts, and watching cartoons…well, some of us. We also stop being honest. I miss being the age where we were bluntly honest all the time, simply because we didn’t understand the concept of lying or keeping things to ourselves. Imagine if we all told the truth all the time. I can’t decide if it would make life simpler or more complicated, to be honest (no pun intended.)
The other night, when I was babysitting my nephew, we were talking about when I go off to college in the fall. I asked him if he was going to miss me, and he said, “I don’t know yet.” I laughed and thanked him for his honesty, which I then explained is telling the truth, even if it might not be what someone wants to hear. To that, he just shrugged and said, “Well, I really don’t know how long it will take to miss you.” I love that logical reasoning. It’s so clear to them, and why shouldn’t they be honest? It never runs through their head to consider the other person’s reaction to what they are about to say—unless it’s when they are asking for something. Almost any time my nephew asks me for something, he adds, “I know you’re gonna say no.” I guess that tells you what kind of an aunt I am! Oh well. He’s going to miss me, although we’re still not sure when.
Always, Anna