Running Head: Thinking I am clever.

THINKING I AM CLEVER.

It was not a normal day for me at work. With upcoming deadlines to meet. My head stad throbbing, I was feeling overwhelmed with confusion, nervousness, and anxiety! I am here trying to figure out how I am going to get all my work done in so little time. I am sitting in the office staring at the computer thinking. Suddenly a bulb went off in my head, Hmmm, why am I being so worked up about a paper that is due, besides, I work at a substance abuse facility that is filled with liars. Afterall, they lie to me daily.

After reading a piece by Stephanie Ericsson called the ways we lie, she pointed out many forms of lies we tell without even noticing. Trying to be clever, I decided to deceive one of my patients so I could get content for my paper, it is not a big deal! how would he know? with a big grin on my face I got up, opened the door, and beckoned, to one of my patients I call John the Baptist. Funny Right? Putting a religious word in the same sentence as a lie.

Hey John, how are you doing today? Do you have a minute to chat with me a little? The excitement on John’s face was refreshing for me. Although, I knew John would use this opportunity as an excuse not to attend his group meeting.

I asked John how did substance abuse affect his family? He said, “It usually starts with a secret that led to lies, not knowing how it would affect others.’ John would lie to get high. Until cocaine became his priority.

The lies and substance abuse played with my moral compass, where I lied and cheated. IN One instance; I Told my wife I was going to the mechanic, because my car had broken down, and that I had to spend the entire night at the mechanic shop. I was a crack house! With a Jezebel! I did not even know from a can of paint, slumped between my crotches.

Lies are insignificant because you use one lie to cover another, by the time you notice, you just keep on lying. It came naturally; I do not even know when I am telling the truth anymore. I could not lie anymore, my body started to tell tales…….tales of deceit, tales of lies, tales of the truth.

Lies are not good!