Honesty is the best policy ... but, only sometimes

OUR PARENTS insisted on a policy of honesty in our home. Many years later, however, we learned that they were less than truthful themselves.

- OPINION: GREY MUTTER BY LANCE FREDERICKS

Only after coming of age did I learn that playing around and poking at a fire with a stick at night would not cause me to wet the bed; our folks always insisted it would.

My siblings and I don’t trust our father anymore, because we also learned that if you swallow chewing gum, there is very little chance of you blowing gum bubbles in your underwear when you fart.

Yet, because of our parents’ influence, we are a pretty honest bunch. | had no choice, because I would blush if I tried to lie. The problem is that I would also blush when I was frustrated, angry or exasperated. So being accused of lying because I was blushing — while I was merely frustrated that no one believed I was telling the truth — created a whole unique set of problems.

These days, dishonesty, lies, tall tales and “alternative facts” are everywhere. We are being fed so much information mixed with misinformation that it makes one’s head spin.

It’s come to the point where I’m wondering if honesty actually is the best policy.