I’m not sure what prompted me, but the other night I looked up the quote “To thine own self be true.” My search reminded me that the famous phase was spoken by Polonius in the play, Hamlet. However, what I found most interesting was what it truly meant when placed in the context of the full sentiment.
“This above all: to thine own self be true.
And it must follow, as the night the day
Thou canst not then be false to any man.”
In its context, the quote takes on a deeper sense of honesty. While we are all prone to putting up a false front out of fear, or to not disappoint or hurt another, we rarely think of it as deceit. Yet, what else could it be but a play of our own making.
Next time you hear the quote, remember being true to one’s self is the best way to be truly honest to others.