Truth-speaking is the most rewarding virtue in our life but remains an ever-challenging affair. It needs courage and determination to practice. It has nothing to fear as it doesn't hide anything. It never seeks to remember the past, either. As such, it enables a person to lead a humble and open life. Many great scholars and leaders cherish honesty as his or her life. 'Honesty' and 'Truth' are more related words which can be used interchangeably. Nowadays, speaking the truth in public places is branded as Foolishness, Out-of-fashion and Orthodoxy. Nevertheless, there are five places in our life that warrant truth alone. This doesn’t mean you can bluff in other places.
Places of Law: An oath to tell the truth is administered in any court of law. This procedure impresses upon a person present and declare the facts and truth only. Moreover, speaking the truth makes the judicial process easy and meaningful to take a holistic and unbiased view. Further, the adjudication becomes faster as there will be no going-back or denial of the statements recorded earlier. Likewise, one shall appraise the lawyer with the truths for litigation to succeed. Similarly, a person should tell the facts and truths to the police investigating a case. In short, maintain the identical position in all these three places.
Places of Worship: Whatever be the religion, one should speak the truth and pray with an open mind in a place of worship. Otherwise, it will be nagging throughout the life. Christianity has a distinct system of 'Confess and Seek Apology', to make a person tell the truth voluntarily. All gods are pleased to hear the truth alone. Perhaps, one may think to outsmart the Almighty by playing double roles: praying one thing and doing the opposite. Remember the adage: Mills of God Grind slow but sure. The impact of bluffing before God has severe ramifications in the later part of one's life, that too felt intense during the twilight years.
Places of Health Care: Always discuss the actual problems and sufferings to the doctor in a health centre. Lest, the diagnosis and treatment will go wrong leading to further complications affecting the patient. Such acts of omission also jeopardise the claims for insurance.
Places of Learning: Whatever be the level of learning a person should never hesitate to speak the truth for the benefit of self: if not for others. Study places such as school, college, etc., are on par with places of worship as they guide human beings. Unless one learns the value of truth in the formative stages, he/she fails to understand the meaning of life itself.
Home: Is the first place where a person picks up the good habit of speaking truth. The elders should set an example for this to flourish. Everything is shared and consulted in a family without any inhibition or selfishness. Each member speaks nothing but the truth only. A happy and peaceful family definitely has this trait as one of their secrets. Naturally the societies comprising such households make a successful country.
Truth makes our life easy and simple. People worship honest people wherever and forever. Mahatma Gandhi, Father of India, practised it as a virtue of life. In fact, he authored an autobiography titled 'My Experiments With Truth.'
