This I Believe

Experiences have taught me many lessons and at this age, they’re all I’ve got to live by. Truth is honor and those who combine truth with patience prosper far more greatly than others. Dishonesty has its consequences and with time, one must acknowledge the depth of his or her mistakes. I believe karma exists. Last summer, a grand ordeal took place within my extended family. Before this story proceeds one must understand my family is extremely conservative: No dating, no alcohol, no drugs, no sex. So when an unfortunate member of my family, who was also a close friend, found herself breaking each and every one of these rules, all hell broke loose. It was just a matter of hours before every aunt, uncle, sister, cousin, father, and mother knew of her mistakes. Everyone began taking sides, splitting the family in half: those who supported her and tried to cover up her mistakes by bringing faults in others, and those who were being wrongfully accused. The girl’s mother, aunts, and close cousins all began to push her mistakes under the rug and highlight those wrongdoings, true or false, of others in the extended family. I, alas, am a part of this extended family; therefore I was faced with one of the greatest hurdles of my life: proving myself true. Blame after blame, lie after lie, no one could comprehend what to believe and what to mark as untrue. My cousin, also my best friend, and I were shocked by some of the allegations placed upon us, and every time we spoke with someone, a new story had been created. With tireless efforts, we desperately tried clearing our names, setting the truth apart from lies. These incidents were occurring for weeks, but felt like a lifetime. All the disappointment and cold attitudes had shifted from the girl and been put onto me. Soon, the day of confrontation had arrived, where I was tested in front of my entire family. I swore to speak the truth, which I did, and could only hope and pray that everything would be justified in the end. From that day until now, one can still hear the whispers of what really happened, who was at fault and what was real. But I’ve been able to live in peace because the truth and karma have unraveled in front of my very own eyes. The girl’s aunts suffered a severe car accident, one of them faced a heart attack, and the girl’s family was robbed along with her two uncles. I do not wish misfortune upon anyone, but those who intentionally wish harm and injustice upon others are setting themselves up for disaster. Although I faced tough times during this event, by staying true to my family, but most importantly myself, I was able to overcome this situation and open my eyes to what kind of people this world holds. I have become wiser and am able to believe in my word.