She is in her 70s, a woman who has gone through many ups and downs in her life. When the doctor announced that the cancer had reached its final stage, the children discussed it and decided not to tell her the truth. They still let her believe that she had just had a prolonged mild cold, that her health was fine, and that just a stall would help her recover. Every day, they told her funny stories, took her for walks, and cooked the dishes she liked. In that indifference, she lived her last days not in fear, but in peace.
But, is that a right solution? If she had known the ending in advance, she would probably spend her last days doing what she really wanted, to be ready to say goodbye to her loved ones. That lie kept her happy, but also took away the opportunity for her to decide how to face the truth.
And other lies are present every day. The unemployed husband hid from his wife about losing his job and still left home every morning so that his wife wouldn't have to worry. The girl grinningly said to her friends that everything was fine, even though her heart was in pain. Those are all lies just to soothe pain, to protect a weak soul from breakage.
However, lying, even with good intentions, cannot be avoided on the left. When the truth is exposed, sometimes the consequences are more heartbreaking than the initial pain. A daughter can blame her mother for not sharing her suffering, a wife can feel betrayed when knowing that her husband has hidden something important, a grandmother can feel disappointed when realizing that she has been deprived of the right to die. So should we continue to lie like that? The answer is not absolutely true or false.
Because in each situation, the value of truth and peace is worth considering. Most importantly, when deciding whether to lie or tell the truth, we need to put ourselves in the shoes of listeners, to understand what they really need: Temporary protection or the right to know to choose for themselves. And we speak with a sincere heart. Because sometimes, it is the way we speak that determines the meaning of the words.
