This I Believe by Danielle Sibbitt

I believe in honesty. Many say honesty is the best policy, or even the truth will set you free, this I believe. Without honesty, there is no foundation to a relationship. From honesty, comes cake is my saying. I believe being honest is an important character trait because it has gotten me far in life.

I believe honesty is one of the greatest components of a relationship. Although it may be hard to always be honest, since I believe so greatly in this attribute, I follow it as closely as I can. No matter what kind of relationship I am in I have learned just how important it is to be honest. Friendships for example, if it wasn't for me being honest with my friends, I never would have grown to be the person I am today. I learned that no matter how hard it is to be honest, in the end it comes to the best solution. Financial relationships can be very difficult to establish on lies as well. Honesty breeds trust, and if I do not trust someone who is in charge of my money it would not be a very good relationship. Anywhere from something as personal as a friendship to something as broad as a bank relationship, honesty is the groundwork to a strong relationship.

For me, honesty has always been one of the most important aspects that control my life. I say from honesty, comes cake for one specific reason. When I was around nine years old my brother and I had a sweet tooth. We ate a half of container of frosting and the next day... my mom wanted to make cake. She opens up the frosting container, and realizes almost all of it has suddenly disappeared, just vanished! My mom then did her routine of asking who ate the frosting, of course I don't know did it, but mothers know. She called my brother and I front and center and asked if we had eaten the frosting, of course she knew, I think now she was giving us a chance to own up to our criminal activities. Naturally we both denied any connection to that container of frosting. I remember her specifically saying "alright you two, you have one more chance, you will not be in any trouble as long as you tell me the truth." Something clicked to me just then, it's okay to mess up sometimes, honesty does not get me in trouble, and it gets me out. I told her "Mom we did, we ate that frosting, I'm sorry." Mom smiled and opened her arms for us to give her a hug and we did. "Good job," she said "I love you" then, we had cake.

I believe honesty has gotten me farther than lies ever could in my life. I was in an Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program for three years, and the most important Corps value was "Integrity First." There were plenty of times I could have denied the truth but I chose to run against the current and do the right thing: to be honest. Being honest got me to a Cadet Captain, and second in the chain of command. Also being honest with myself has given me the opportunity to be successful and understanding toward others, because when I'm honest with myself I can be honest with others as well. I have found throughout my life there are many advantages to being honest.

I believe in honesty. Without honesty, there is no base to a relationship, furthermore with any relationship I need to trust the individual, and with no honesty, there is no way for me to trust someone. Every time I think of honestly I think of the frosting and remember that you don't have to lie, there is always a way out. Though honesty can be hard, I've learned it's not only the best policy, it's my only policy. Therefore I believe in honesty, I realize it won't always end in a piece of cake, but it will end in a clear conscious.