Truthfulness is seeing everything as it is; not from the midst of it, but from the point of its completion. Honesty is seeing things on the way, facing the challenges as they come. Truthfulness is always an expression of optimism, because the brushstrokes can be sharp. But where there isn’t the precision brought by honesty, there is no quality in the picture. In fact, someone not prepared to face the small things will never be entitled to see the whole picture anyway.

In life, a truthful person knows that they should never judge, unless they have understood the secret of time; unless they have seen how change works and how nothing is fixed until the end. A truthful person senses stillness, completion in the distance, but never stills the journey towards it, never lives as though they have reached it, but has it with them always.

A truthful life is one without distraction or delay. Things that glitter do not even turn the eye. There is steadiness, deftness, economy and yet humor, because humor comes from the contrast between what the picture is and what it will be.

Truth itself is a gift that is dropped in your lap. A very deep private thing. It knows the whole span of your journey through time. And that knowing comes only to those who are open. When there is openness with people, warmth, love and truth between you, then in the silences between words, the picture is filled in. Areas of vagueness become suddenly clear and very vivid. Where there is any deception or dishonesty in a relationship, nothing can be added to the picture. You are stuck with the surface of life. Honesty among friends is an opening for God.