The Truth That Wanted To Be Told

I really didn’t want to tell my mama the truth so I stole it and hid it inside myself.

Little did I knew how badly the truth wanted to come out.

I tried to shhh it but it wouldn’t stop yelling and saying what it wanted to say.

Even inside me, it was so loud, I was sure my mama could hear.

And then, it started getting mad at me. It grew fur and started growing bigger.

One morning my mama saw an extra set of arms poking through my sides and she said, "What on earth?"

Oh, I almost fainted. But sure enough, the truth had started taking on a life of its own and trying to force itself out of my body.

I still tried to deny it. I said, "I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mama. Nothing’s emerging. It’s just me!"

But eventually that truth came thrashing out, and it blurted everything I had tried to keep secret.

“I played that inappropriate video game when you told me not to!!!" the truth roared.

But my mama only smiled. "Thank you for telling me,” she said to the truth. “I was wondering when you would. I don’t know why you felt you had to hide from me for so long."

The truth nodded and went on its merry way and I felt so much lighter. And back to myself.

And I realized that hiding the truth is always a much harder task then just telling someone what it is.

We all make mistakes and try stuff out. But even if our behavior is not always our best, the best of who we are is still always underneath it.

-JLK