“So you're always honest," I said."Aren't you?""No," I told him. "I'm not.""Well, that's good to know, I guess.""I'm not saying I'm a liar," I told him. He raised his eyebrows. "That's not how I meant it, anyways.""How'd you mean it, then?""I just...I don't always say what I feel.""Why not?""Because the truth sometimes hurts," I said."Yeah," he said. "So do lies, though.”
— Sarah Dessen
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We often suppress our true feelings to protect others, forgetting that silence can build distance just as quickly as harsh words. As Sarah Dessen wisely reminds us: "'So you're always honest,' I said. 'Aren't you?' 'No,' I told him. 'I'm not.' ... 'Because the truth sometimes hurts,' I said. 'Yeah,' he said. 'So do lies, though.'" Have you ever withheld the truth out of love? Share your thoughts below!
About this quote
We often hold back our true emotions under the gentle guise of protection, convincing ourselves that silence is kinder than a painful reality. It is a deeply human instinct to hide what we feel, especially when we fear our words might break a heart or fracture a bond. Yet, in our quest to guard others from discomfort, we inadvertently erect walls around our own authenticity, leaving those we love to navigate a maze of unspoken thoughts.
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Photo by S.Hossein Hassanpour on Unsplash
