Honesty is the Best Policy


Honesty truly is the best policy. Honesty is the foundation of any well-working relationship. Whether it is with parents, friends, or any one else, honesty is important. No relationship can be successful without trust, which is gained from being honest. Many people learn this the hard way, as have I.

I learned this harsh lesson in a way that really made me understand the importance of honesty. It was over the summer going in to my sophomore year. I had just received my driver’s license and I was driving everywhere, hanging out with friends, and taking advantage of being away from my parents. My parents had planned a trip out of town for the weekend and specifically told me not to have anyone over to the house. As I told a few of my friends about the trip and being by myself, we plotted to throw a party. We went through with the plan; we had a few friends over and hung out for awhile. A few of my close buddies spent the night as well. The next day we spent an hour or two cleaning up the house but it still looked quite suspicious. There were a few minor details that I over looked and my parents noticed. I made a few excuses to cover up the situation, but they didn’t completely believe me. The truth finally surfaced; I was in trouble.

As I came clean on the events of that night I could see the trusts diminish from their faces. Before, they had great trust in me and I had many privileges. After the party I had those privileges taken away and my parents were more aware of my actions. The night when the honesty policy truly engraved itself in me was when they told me that the worse part about the ordeal was me lying and trying to cover it up. The actual party itself is just a minor problem because everyone makes mistakes. That night I really grew up as a person. I still make mistakes and bad decisions as everyone else, but the difference is by admitting them, it makes my conscience clear and my parents respect me. The consequences are not as great when you are honest.

Through my experiences with being dishonest, I have learned a great deal about being honest. Being honest only helps bad situations and being dishonest only hurts them. Through honesty I have gained stronger relationships with my friends and family and become a better person. I have concluded that to lead a successful well-rounded life, honesty is the best policy.