Tell a Lie Day
People lie every day. It’s nothing new. And we often times justify them depending on the situation. Allow me to give you a scenario: You’ve had a hellish day at work, and you’ve just sat in horrendous traffic commuting home. All you want to do is get sit down, eat dinner and relax. But then you remember its Thursday. Aren’t you supposed to be hosting dinner for your mom and dad? Ugh. How can possibly entertain them when you’re feeling so drained? You pick up your phone and are delighted at the sound of your mom’s voice on the answering machine. Great! Now you won’t have to answer any questions. At the beep, the lie begins: “Hey mom, hi dad! I’m so sorry for the late notice, but I’m still at the office and I have no idea what time I’ll be home. Let’s schedule dinner another night next week. I miss you!” And just like that, you’re off the hook and you feel great. This is what many refer to as a white lie. You’re in the clear, no one got hurt. It was simple! So… why do you feel guilty the next day when flowers arrive at your office with the note: “You work so hard, honey. I hope your boss recognizes your efforts as much as I do. Love, Mom”.
Cringe.
For the record, the aforementioned story was not my own. But it happened to a close friend of mine last year and when she told me, I felt guilty and I hadn’t even done anything. It also made me thankful that I took an honesty oath with myself a few years back and have managed to avoid those types of blunders that seem to happen every so often when people lie.
With that being said, today is Tell a Lie Day, and I’ve been trying to think up a juicy one since I had my first cup of coffee this morning. So far I’ve got nothing good, but the day is still young. If you have any good ideas you’d like to throw at BookRix, please share with us in our comments section. If not, take a look at today’s reading recommendations below. They both share a connection. Can you guess?
Lies.
It’s International Children’s Day: Happy Birthday, Hans Christian Andersen!
When Hans Christian Andersen passed away in 1875, he left behind a legacy that only grew larger over time. His stories and poems appealed to large audiences across the globe and is still widely read and respected to this day. His talent, combined with his fan reach, inspired the production of various animated films, motion pictures and plays. April 2nd is recognized as a celebration of his life and works which inspired the creation of International Children’s Day. On this annual celebration, the focus is on children’s literature where writing activities are encouraged, competitions are held and book awards are announced. If you are interested in participating, check your local listings for events and shows you can attend.
Although I have always been fond of Hans Christian Andersen’s works, The Little Match-Girl remains my favorite. Over the summer, 20 years ago at least, I checked out a series of books at the Library. Between the pages of a Nancy Drew mystery, I found three printed pieces of paper stapled together and folded in half. On those sheets was the story of The Little Match-Girl, but the authors name had been excluded. Despite finding the story sad, I loved it immediately and read it several more times. In those days you couldn’t scan a document. So I sat at my dad’s typewriter and typed out each word so I could return the Nancy Drew book as I had received it while keeping a copy for myself. Years later, I came upon a copy of Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen and saw The Little Match-Girl was included in the book. I had loved so many of his other stories and never knew he had penned my favorite one. And on that note, I’d like to share this little animated gem with you. (You’re welcome.)
In celebration of National Children’s Day, we’d like to recommend these stories from our BookRix library (the first one includes The Little Match-Girl).