Secrets
I was thinking about secrets. How many have I told? Have I ever really told just one person a secret, something that is ours and ours alone? I couldn’t think of one thing or person who knows something about me that I haven’t shared with anyone else. The closest thing I could think of wasn’t a secret at all, it was a lie. But I bet she believes it was a secret, something so shameful that no one would dare make it up. But I did, I shared with her and her alone a part of my soul, except it wasn’t even true.
Then I got to thinking how many secrets have I been told? How many times has someone trusted only me to keep their truth from everything and everyone? And how many secrets have I shared? When I was younger, everything was a secret. We had secret crushes, secret hiding spots, and secret lies. And so many people liked to deposit their secrets in me. Except, I wasn’t a very good safe. I figured if Jane has a secret and I tell Bobby, and Bobby and Jane don’t know each other or have any friends in common, what does it matter if Bobby knows Jane’s secret too? Was it wrong to tell? Was it just a frivolous act that had no importance? Or did I just commit a cardinal sin of friendship: betrayal of such a common idea (trust)?
I lie a lot less now. Maybe I am growing up? But doesn’t the truth have less meaning if you tell it so often?
Then I got to thinking how many secrets have I been told? How many times has someone trusted only me to keep their truth from everything and everyone? And how many secrets have I shared? When I was younger, everything was a secret. We had secret crushes, secret hiding spots, and secret lies. And so many people liked to deposit their secrets in me. Except, I wasn’t a very good safe. I figured if Jane has a secret and I tell Bobby, and Bobby and Jane don’t know each other or have any friends in common, what does it matter if Bobby knows Jane’s secret too? Was it wrong to tell? Was it just a frivolous act that had no importance? Or did I just commit a cardinal sin of friendship: betrayal of such a common idea (trust)?
I lie a lot less now. Maybe I am growing up? But doesn’t the truth have less meaning if you tell it so often?