“Truth never damages a cause that is just” -Mahatma Gandhi
Tonight I was having dinner with a good friend of mine. We were gabbing, gossiping, and complaining about work and people that are involved in our lives. And, I thought to myself: If only some of these people understood what goes on in our heads everyday. And I wondered, am I being honest with the people in my life? That brings up a very good question: are girls these days more honest or more shady?
The answer, I would say is that we are very honest but are merely selective on who we speak our minds to. Our boss for instance, will probably never hear us tell him what we think of him. Not that he doesn’t know… but still we would never go there. However, we still discussed our opinions at dinner with each other. We hate a lot of our coworkers, and sure enough I tell many of them everyday that they are idiots when they step on my toes purposely. Because, whether I tell them or not they will still step on my toes and it’s not like anything comes out of it.
The point I am trying to make here is that in our lives, we will only tell the truth or be honest with someone we are comfortable with. Sounds obvious enough. However, the people we are comfortable enough to tell these things to may not be the people we need to be honest with. I know from experience that I am never honest with the people I am romantically involved with, not all too uncommon these days. I mainly discuss my true feelings on my relationships with my best friend. Needless to say, my relationships are far and few between, do not last long, and are disasters. Finally, I have realized that it is most likely… well, let’s be honest, it is directly because I was too afraid to explain my true feelings and what I wanted. And maybe he was guilty of it, too. Either way, not being honest with people that you see on a day-to-day basis is a recipe for disaster.
The key? Not necessarily communication. First, one must learn to not ever be afraid to be up front and honest. If someone criticizes you for telling them what is truly on your mind, then it is probably time to rethink the relationship, whatever it is. Friends, family, boyfriend, girlfriend, coworkers, your bank teller… whoever.
Honesty and communication can make things run much more smoothly, or maybe not. But, either way keeping in what you are feeling will only make you angry, sad, anxious, and could potentially blow you apart. Be discreet, of course, and don’t go too crazy. Cursing out your boss will not solve your issues. But, making a point to sit down and discuss your issues might show some positive results. What could it hurt? If you tell your lover what is on your mind, maybe they will end things with you. But, really, if they are worth your time they will hear you out, tell you their feelings, and you will both make it through the tough subjects.
Mahatma Gandhi is who I quoted on this post, instead of Monroe, because Gandhi believed that in everything there was truth and love. All his life he seeked truth and worked to bring it to the surface. He was never afraid of any confrontation or disagreement that was posed. He taught the world how important it is to always be truthful and have love in everything we do. What made him so different than others who valued truth? He was brave enough to reveal truth to the world.
You know when you are babbling on and on to your best friend about… whatever… and a million things slip out that you would never tell anyone else? Well, maybe in certain cases you should. You could change a million things in your life, although maybe not quite to the extent as Gandhi. (Do what you like, I’m just saying they’re big shoes to fill). Baby steps.
There are a couple of friends I’ve had through out the years who saw something in my life that they felt was wrong (things that truly jeopardized my health/well-being) and have told me they were worried or thought I should change. Did I listen? I’ve made many changes, but not because of their worries. Either way, I understood where they were coming from and was thankful that they let me know before I ruined our friendship by making them uncomfortable or scaring them. I just kept those things to myself and life went on. In a way it was not their business, but I had to accept the fact that they cared about me and wanted to make sure I knew it. The reason I mention this is because if someone is honest with you, it is also important to take in what they say and either accept it or banish it. Communication is a two-way street, ladies and gentlemen.
Honest communication can help solve many problems or bring to light many problems that you were not aware of. So, to sum it up: Always say what’s on your mind, you know, if you’re willing to hear others do the same.
Your Modern Girl,
C