'LIAR' ... WHO, ME??

BY ANN SEBRING

It can be pretty tempting to judge other people sometimes. Many of us may label others a particular way, with or without realizing what we're doing. But worst of all, we may end up labeling ourselves. I think the opposite of judging is authenticity. When we judge or label ourselves or others, we're not being authentic, real—nor seeing the genuine nature of a person.

Throughout my childhood, and up to my sophomore year in high school, I used to lie about practically everything. Sometimes without even knowing it, I'd lie about what I'd been doing, where I really had been, or even the things I was going to do. At first it started with "innocent" white lies. My mom would ask if I'd done my homework, and I'd say yes when really I hadn't. Then it turned into a game for me: a competition between my lying skills and my mom's ability to discern the truth. I'd make up excuses and try to avoid her questions.