We’ve all lied before. Some of us are better at it than others. People like me simply shouldn’t lie because I get caught every time. I guess you could say I’m not a good liar. But, what does that even mean? Why would anyone want to lie in the first place?

And, what is the difference between the truth and a lie when it comes to recalling past events? One of the things I’ve learned this week is the fact that I cannot lie to save my life when the person knows me personally. I’m not sure if that is something to be proud of or ashamed of.

Sometimes, we have to lie to coexist. I am not condoning this behavior; it is simply something I’ve noticed. The white lies that we as a society think is acceptable could be detrimental. Examples of white lies are but not limited to telling a person they’re not fat or ugly to spare their feelings from getting hurt.

Another example is going along with kids’ beliefs about Santa and the Tooth Fairy instead of telling them the truth. A lot of things people consider white lies are vital lies in my opinion. Before this week, I also thought these type of lies were harmless.

Moving from Baltimore to Seattle, I’ve had to adapt to the prevailing mindset of the west coast versus the one I was accustomed to in Baltimore. People are blunt and insensitive on the east coast, especially in areas like Baltimore and New York.

I had a girl bluntly tell me that she didn’t like me because I was an African booty scratcher. I wasn’t even sure what that meant, but I was happy to know that she didn’t like me. So, I ignored her from that point forward.

The same situation happened to me multiple times, and I was grateful each time. I rather know how someone feels about me instead of having to guess and calculate their actions. Those people weren’t willing to lie or act like they liked me simply based on the fact that we had mutual friends.

Things are not the same in Seattle. I love the vibe in Seattle, as far as knowing most people. But, I wish some people weren’t so passive. Life is harder when you have to constantly analyze people’s feelings and actions. One of the most annoying problems I keep running into in Seattle is not a truthful answer out of people when it comes to spending time together. People would make plans with me and make up a lie to cancel last minute.

As an understanding individual, I would rather get an honest answer saying “I changed my mind, sorry.” To be quite honest, I rather people be blunt rather than passive. They both have their pros and cons, but the naked truth gives its receiver more power and respect compared to a white lie.