Was Abe Lincoln Two-Faced?

"If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?"  --Abraham Lincoln

Politicians are often called hypocrites. So are us non-policicians.

Image by Christian Dorn from Pixabay 

All of us, politics or not, present two-faces.  We smile on the outside while we cry inside.

Does that make us a hypocrite?

Not really, but maybe. I suppose it depends on the person and the situation.

We ask, "How are you?"  But it's a rhetorical question. No one really wants to know, so we don't truthfully answer. We smile and say, "Fine. How are you?"

This can be a dishonest answer.

However, it most situations, it's a necessary one.

There are times when we should show the sad face. We need help from another person. Gather your courage and ask for support.

And it's okay to cry when you do.

In this day and time, men aren't supposed to cry. Neither are women. "Suck it up."  That's a phrase we hear. But grief and emotinal pain are real. Sometimes we require help with it. 

Every culture shows grief differently.  Back in the days of Jesus, grief was shown in loud, showy ways. Mourners were hired to weep and wail. The Jewish law said that even poor people should hire two flute players and one weeping, wailing, woman.  The hired weeper may not have even known the deceased. She had a talent for wailing, and it provided income for the family.

I recently lost a good friend. Death by suicide. He always had a happy face and a joke. No one knew the devestation he faced on the inside. Absolutely no one knew.

Don't be a hipocrite if you are in that much pain. 

Friends are willing to help.

We will help you ease from darkness to light. Even get your medical help if necessary. There are times when exhibiting a cheerful face becomes too much of a burden. That's the time for honesty. Leave hypocrisy behind.

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