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Reflections On Truth Telling

Author:
Craig Zelizer

January 28, 2019

An open letter from New Horizons Founder and Executive Director, Anastasia Rosen-Jones

This is a critical time for American citizens and those, beyond our shores, who are impacted by us.

So here I am this morning, wanting from the deepest place inside of me to tell whomever will listen that, as a survivor of the Watergate era, one of the most important things I know/believe, that I learned, as one of my many lessons from Watergate, is that now, more than ever --

“American citizens must turn to their neighbors and co-workers, family and friends with the intention of building bridges to overcome whatever separates. At times like this we desperately need one another and the unity among citizens, especially in times of trial, for which our country has generally stood.”

Richard Nixon, as our president, did not drive a wedge, between neighbors, friends or family, or at least not a very big one. Yet, as American citizens, those of us who lived through Watergate grew increasingly more aware of how lying and corruption can harm our country.

Lying and corruption separate us.

I don't necessarily believe that our current president is the reason for the rampant alienation, from one another, running rampant, presently, throughout our country. However lies, the obstructing of truth being uncovered and reality dealt with, no matter who interferes with it, whatever it is, does keep us apart.

So here it is!

The United States of America is seemingly less united now than at any other time since the Civil War of the 1850s.  This is why, now, it is imperative that we take the initiative to put the lessons that have been learned from the Watergate era to good use.

Among these lessons is that while lying and corruption do not work well in relationships, as a rule, they can wreak total and complete havoc to an entire country when embedded in the very nature of an  administration.

Carl Bernstein, the seasoned journalist, who was one of the team of Woodward and Bernstein, uncovering the sordid details of Watergate, tells us to "follow the money" to get to the core of the crises we are facing, now, under the current administration.

Instinctively, many of today’s journalists, being of the media field and having been schooled by Woodward and Bernstein, directly or otherwise, also know to look for the lies and relentlessly keep exposing them.

This is what journalists -- and -- investigators such as Robert Mueller can and are doing.

What needs to be done, now, however, is not something that must wait on the activities of these people.

You, too, can help the effort to re-stabilize our country that needs doing by taking up the task of “being” – and – therefore, also role modeling, and doing everything you can to bring truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth into your daily lives, beginning right now! 

This is something you can do, with no outlay of money that, in the long run, will help us all.

All you need to accomplish this is just, simply, yourself -- and -- your own best intentions to be the peace you desire.

This will help you begin to offset the craziness enveloping the American people, the 
"hysteria" Bob Woodward has been speaking of, the hysteria gripping many in this chaotic, frightening era we are now living through. 

(If how great results can come of this simple, direct effort, truth telling, is not yet clear to you and it may not be, I will bring you more and more details to make my point in days to come.)

Consider, again, the messages of Gandhi and Ben Franklin and Jesus I recently reminded readers about several days ago.

Then, reflect on where you think lying and truthfulness fit into their words of wisdom, if they are not yet self-evident.

Gandhi stated --

“We do best to begin by carving out territories or zones of peace in our personal relations where violence and deceit won’t be used.”

Benjamin Franklin stressed --

"We must all hang together or most assuredly we will all hang separately"?

And in the Bible, in the Gospel of Mark 3:25, Jesus states --

"And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand." 

These values, incorporating integrity and truth telling, are ideals that people everywhere generally strive to uphold.

Why not now?

Have you ever heard the philosophy that “The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth will set you free?”

Does this not make sense to you, even moderately?

Learn to live this TRUTH, with increasing commitment and involvement, every day, in both small and large ways.

Truth, deepest truths, spoken to others open up dialogue and conversations that help YOU build resilience in yourself and strengthens bonds with others, a crucial element for getting through these tough times.

I am doing more of my own truth-telling, in refined ways, since I began, in September, to revitalize New Horizons Truth Or Dare GAME.

I believed I was strong in this area before, but I am even more so now.

I pride myself on my transparency but there is always room to improve! Now, because I am getting daily practice in doing this with others, New Horizons Truth Squad Members who are similarly committed to “refined” truth telling, I am speaking with more specifics than I might be otherwise.

I am slowing down, some, with my communicating, now. And, in ways that are feeling particularly good, I am sharing extra little pieces of information about me, these days.

If you read my Anastasia The Storyteller blogs you might even notice the subtle differences in my articulations since the New Year began which is when I began to notice the difference. Write me at [email protected], if you notice and care to comment on how I am changing.

Even the best of us tend to get a bit sloppy, these days, in our telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth communications. Especially when so many demands pull at us, shortcutting what we say can sometimes cross a line in to non-truths.

Remember, the time you told a co-worker or friend, “I was just going to return your call,” when in actuality you had forgotten all about that call from him/her?

Did you realize, then, that you were actually telling a lie? And that it actually carried with it some of the usual consequences of lying?

That vision of mine that is my prophecy, however it can be accounted for, has guided my life to this moment when I am energetically, along with the New Horizons Board Of Directors intent on creating an active Truth Or Dare Movement.

We hope you will join us with this movement. Playing in our Truth Or Dare GAME is one of the ways to get started.

So here I am now, coming forth with that intention, creating a truth-telling movement, from something that has been a dream of mine.

You, too, have dreams of improving the world in which you live in. Truth and integrity are likely a part of those dreams, if you are visiting the Peace And Collaborative Network site.

Anne Frank spoke of that yearning when she stated –

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait another moment before starting to improve the world

Truth-telling as a conscious, daily practice, enhanced in small and large ways, can help raise your daily living up a notch to better help the world improve. It is truly doing that to my life.

And I’ve been at it, consciously, as well as making a point to teach it, in refined ways, for over forty-five years. I need this as a part of my best living!

You need this truth telling, too, so as not to allow the craziness enveloping us to pull you down into its SWAMP. Truth and clarity ground us in reality, the place from which we are most likely to create and sustain healthy living.

Need to enhance your truth-telling skill development? 

New Horizons Truth Or Dare GAME is the place to learn, grow and transform the darkness of non-truth-telling into light!

Also, Anastasia, The Super Sleuth, is available to personally guide you to reaching your next highest attainment level in this area, on the way to awe, the best possible destination for a human.

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