“Everybody lies,” said Dr. House, and unfortunately, that is the greatest truth that mankind has ever heard.
In a world full of hustle and bustle, small lies become insignificant. You’re late to school? Make up an excuse, lie. Your dad calls to ask where you are this late and you answer with a lie. You’re in a bad place, yet when you’re asked if you’re okay, you lie. Why am I telling you all this? No, I’m not going to dictate how you can stop lying, because no matter what I say, you’ll still do what you have to. But answer me this, where do you draw the line? Where do you stop deceiving?

We live in an era with exceedingly improving educational systems, yet such is our learning that we prefer hatred over love, we prefer indifference over compassion, we prefer silence over voice, and we prefer self satisfaction over generalized empathy. Yes, not all of us are like that, but here we are, rooting for people who are desperately trying to build walls.

We are a generation where acts of kindness make you question intentions. I stopped in the street to say hi to a 3 year old before her mother realized her child had stopped walking behind her and pulled him away from me, with discomfort clearly visible in her eyes. I felt a pang in my heart as I realized she was afraid; a woman afraid of another woman. Almost every one of us has once had our morals questioned when we’re asked ‘what’s in it for you?’ How terribly sad is the fact that kindness and trust are fading into the shadows.

The thought of being seen as someone you’re not is terrifying. People tend to assume a side to your character because the world is increasingly portraying a picture where one is forced to assume the worst in people. I don’t want to look at a stranger and start a conversation with their eyes questioning my motives. I don’t want to see a sad face and ask what’s wrong with their eyes questioning my compassion. I don’t want to see hesitation for the fear of judgment in my friend’s eyes as they reveal something dark about themselves. I don’t want to see someone think I’m lying when in reality, I’m not.

All of this will only be possible when we start to take a leap of faith for ourselves, and others. There is no harm in being kind when you’re approached with hatred. The amount of deception, racism, bigotry and sexism surrounding the society is our own fault. Just as we accept the love we think we deserve, we accept the ideologies masked by fear and hate that we are made to think the society deserves.

Someone once said, “There are no absolutes when it comes to the human mind.” We’re all born innocent, and so whatever we learn in this life can be unlearned, and whatever is left to learn can be learned. As nothing is absolute, who we are, and who we become, will always be our choice. So tell me, who are you choosing to be?