The question to ask is why do people feel the need to lie. The obvious answer is that they are afraid of the repercussions of the truth. Oh, people can hide it with various justifications. “I want to protect my children. I want to protect my spouse. I don’t want to embarrass my family….” I still believe at the root of it is fear of what would happen if the truth came out. Without a secure identity, the temptation is to live a lie, which you feel, will portray you in the best light.
Darkness and intentional deception become the default choice. In the wake of choosing to live in the shadows of deception, I feel it must weigh heavy on the person’s heart. Pretending gets taxing after awhile when you so deeply want to take the mask off and just be seen for whom you are but you are so scared to do so. Deep down, they know what they are doing is wrong and they can’t tell. Every act of love is questioned because the person must ask, “Would they still love me if they knew the secret I was hiding?” In the case of a child being raised without knowing the true identity of their father for fear of exposing an illicit affair, the mother must feel guilt, wondering if she is making the right choice by covering up what she now sees as an irresponsible choice.
