What’s so great about the Truth?

When you ask your partner “Do I look fat?” or “Is my hair thinner?” do you really want an honest answer? “Yup, you look like you’re pregnant.” or “Hair? What hair? All I see is my reflection.” Of course you don’t. You want to be told how skinny you look, or how your hair looks like McDreamy’s. In short, you want to be lied to by the person you love. But how can that be? Aren’t we always supposed to tell and want to be told the truth in our relationships?
Love songs don’t talk about the truth. Try to name a single well known love song that talks about honesty. Can’t do it right? But I bet you CAN sing the chorus to Shaggy’s, “It Wasn’t me”.
Honesty isn’t even in the marriage vows. To have and to hold, for richer of for poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, love honor and obey, till death do us part… Nope, not a single mention of the truth.
The only time I hear people talk about truth is when I give the oath in court to have people tell “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth”, and that’s usually right before the Judge grants them a divorce. Yup, the truth will set you free all right, as in free agent, because your butt will get dumped and then you’re single.
I don’t think this is accidental. People have been getting married for centuries; surely I am not the first person to notice this seeming oversight. I’d like to think that honesty was somewhere in the original wedding vows, but then we as a people got smart and took them out. Because love is not about being honest. Love is about seeing the very best in someone and ignoring their flaws. It’s about supporting someone, being there for them for whatever they need, and getting the same in return.
Being in love is like being and having your own personal cheerleader. And while that’s very nice, it’s not very honest. Cheerleaders still say “You can do it!” when there’s actually no chance of winning. But no one gets mad at the cheerleaders for lying. They understand that it’s done out of care and concern for the players, or in short-out of love.
You don’t want the truth from your loved one. That’s what your friends are for. What your loved one is for is to call you svelte and hand you ice cream when your friends tell you how your butt REALLY looks. And that’s why you love him.