A tweet noted that Trump was likely fearful of Jack Smith, the special prosecutor assigned to investigate Trump in relation to stolen classified documents and the January 6th domestic terrorist assault at the nation's Capitol. As I thought about that tweet, I wondered about truths people are afraid of. What truths does Donald Trump fear? What truths do you or I fear?
So many Trumpian cronies and family members have taken the fifth with regard to recent investigations. When someone takes the fifth, of course the first reaction is that they are guilty. Recently during a deposition, Trump took the fifth for every question--that leads us to believe he is guilty because he is unwilling to tell the true story.
When are you unwilling to tell the true story?
There are some truths that none of us want to tell. For me, those truths relate to the more intimate details of my relationships. Those truths have little to do with right or wrong and more to do with the intimacy people share over time in close relationships.
There are other truths which I don't like to talk about, but I don't hide--these are truths about errors I've made in life, the kind of errors that I look back upon with horror to think that I could have been that clueless, misdirected, or ignorant. Yet, when I do consider these errors, I can say I learned a lot from them.
Then there are the truths related to my shortcomings. Few to none of us like to discuss our shortcomings, but most of us are honest about the shortcomings we recognize and know too well. Those are the mountains we climb as individuals as we seek to be and do better in life.
Fortunately, for me, there are no big secrets out there. I grew up in an honest home, a place where we didn't keep secrets. Via multiple connections and experiences, honesty, for the most part, was promoted in my homes, within my relationships, and at work. Yet, there have been times when I worked with dishonest people and in dishonest situations--it took me time to recognize the dishonesty, and once I did, I was able to counter that with honesty.
For some, I realize, they didn't have it as easy as I did when it comes to honesty. Some grew up in homes that didn't foster honesty and good living--in homes like that, secrets often grow. Others didn't have friends and relatives who held their ambition in check, and at times unchecked ambition can lead to dishonest dealings and activity. Those checks and balances we provide for each other help us to remain honest, and when you become mired in a group with bad aim and ideals, it can be difficult to remain honest about what you experienced with or within that group.
As we consider the true story of our lives, it's important to consider the truths we may be afraid to reveal. What does that say about us and how we've lived our lives?
Donald Trump and his cronies who often take the fifth are not comfortable revealing the truth of the matter. That is a worrisome reality we should pay attention to. In my opinion, honest leaders who are willing to speak the truth are far better leaders because they do not waste our time, energy, or potential hiding their truths. Instead they have the open mind and time to do the good work possible. Onward.