Do not say that which is untrue

Oh Boy! This is the second big one for me after coveting. I learned so early on to protect myself with stories...from further hurt or abuse that I slowly lost the ability to speak the truth most of the time. It is just really recently that I've realized how freeing saying what is true is! I went through some time telling many people the things I had lied about. I was always careful not to hurt anyone or to go to quickly and hurt myself. Lots of compassion was involved there. As soon as I let go of many of these untruths and did not have to tell more untruths, I felt a great weight lift from me. It was amazing, although at times it is still so easy for me to begin to say that which is not true, to tell stories...which I'm very good at...so I have to be really vigilant about this Precept. It is not so easy, but the rewards are really worth it as well as the loss of stress. I remember a Bible verse that states it quite well, "The truth will set you free."