Dating the Catholic Way - Part 4 (Integrity)

Secrets and lies never work out the way that we think they will.  Never.  And when the secret or lie involves someone we care a lot about, well, when feelings get involved, it never ends well. 

A good standard to set for yourself is that, if you have to keep something a secret, or if you have to lie about something, then you shouldn't be doing that thing.  Period.  There is no question about it.  Secrets and lies are always wrong (maybe with the exception of a surprise party...maybe).

The simple truth is that dating is supposed to lead to marriage.  And a marriage is made when two people make promises to each other.  And if your dating relationship is full of secrets and lies, well then, as they say, practice makes perfect (or as my boss would say, practice makes permanent).

"Practice doesn't make perfect.  Practice makes permanent.  Perfect practice makes perfect" ~ Richard Deanda

 

 

 

The things that you do while you are dating will be the things that you do while you are married.  Habits are hard to break.  Nearly impossible.  If you practice keeping secrets in your dating life, then you are going to continue doing so as a married person. 

I try to live my life so that I won't ever even feel the need to keep a secret or tell a lie.  I'm pretty much a coward.  I know that if I do something wrong, I am really going to struggle fessing up to it.  But if I don't, I also know that my conscience will pretty much destroy me.  It's a good way to live life, though.  It is much easier to suffer in a moment, then to give into something that I will want to keep from someone.  Either way, I'm going to suffer. 

Integrity seems like a no-brainer.  But it is something that many couples lack.  Work on honesty.  Be brave.  Do what's right.  Your life as a whole will be much better if you do.