The Lens of Honesty: Lessons from Childhood to Adulthood
On the wall of my school, there was always a line that caught my eye: “Honesty is the best policy.” Back then, I never fully grasped its deeper meaning. Yet, I was always honest, not because I understood the concept, but out of fear of my teachers and parents. I was deeply afraid of them, but in hindsight, that fear shaped me in a positive way. It laid the foundation for my life.
From this, I learned discipline. I discovered how to build things from the ground up, how to grow without relying on anyone. As I began achieving success in life, I found myself filled with gratitude toward my parents and teachers. Despite the pain of some bad memories, I realized that those very hardships molded me into who I am today. Though I feel like I lost parts of my childhood, I traded it to live a fulfilling adulthood.
One vivid memory from my childhood is a story about a lens. I had a fascination with lenses, and one day, a friend gifted me one. It felt like the best gift I had ever received, though he didn’t quite understand its power. I, however, quickly learned how it worked. I used it to concentrate sunlight on a piece of paper, watching in awe as it burned. Through this, I understood the power of focus.
But as I played with the lens, I began doing reckless things — like burning other people’s clothes, which, of course, was wrong. That lens became my best friend, and I refused to let anyone else have it. When I showed its power to the friend who had given it to me, he was amazed. But jealousy crept in, and he took it back. I cried a lot that day, feeling the weight of losing something precious — especially since my parents never gave me such gifts.
Over time, I realized that I had misused the lens, and in a way, I believe it was taken from me by a higher power for a reason. It taught me a valuable lesson about responsibility.
To capture the essence of that day, I wrote a quote that I still carry with me:
“Being honest about everything is always a great policy because, in the end, there is a supreme power that exists and continuously monitors and balances things.”
– Kabir Narayan Jha
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