Sometime during my sophomore year of high school, I had a terrible realization. I had become a pathological liar. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but the point is that I had developed a streak of lies and deceit. While occasionally lying is normal, I had started to lie dozens of times every single day. I don't remember how it began or how it developed but all I remember is that moment when I knew I had to change. 

You see lying had become natural to me and soon I didn't even consciously register the fact that I was lying about something and the guilt associated with it also ceased to exist. However, after the realization, all the unregistered guilt struck me at once. So I made a promise to myself to never lie again. 

Naturally, it was quite difficult at the beginning and I dreaded the consequences of telling the truth. With time, it became easier and easier and soon enough my habit of lying changed into a habit of telling the truth. For the next couple of months, it worked out perfectly, telling the truth sometimes did get me in trouble but I at least had a clear conscience, and I found contentment in that.

Things went on like this for a while, but one day in school while I was at my locker, my best friend Sam (Not his real name) glided past me as if he was being chased by a carnivorous bull. I had a hunch about what might be going on as I saw him enter the boy's restroom. However, my suspicion was confirmed when I saw Jack and Rudy (Not their real names) walking in the same way that Sam ran from. 

Jack and Rudy were your average high school bullies, cowards who only picked on the people who didn't retaliate. Sam was one of them, but I wasn't so they left me alone and bullied him twice as hard. I had thought about going to the principal about this but seeing the look of utter dread on Sam's face whenever I even mentioned it stopped me right in my tracks. For reasons I didn't ask, he did not want the adults to know about this. So he had three places to run to whenever they were chasing him and one of them was the boy's restroom. 

Jack had probably seen me looking towards the direction that Sam went so he asked me where he had gone as he wanted some notes from him. To the naked eye, Jack's polite demeanor coupled with his respectful tone would instantly make anyone believe him. Thankfully I was well accustomed to the malicious intent hidden behind the angelic facade. 

While I was thinking all of this, Jack asked the question with a hint of hostility. Now, I began thinking again, about how to maneuver through this dilemma. If I told them the truth about Sam's hiding place, they would surely torment him and I would be jeopardizing his safety. So that was out of the question but I also didn't want to lie as I knew I would feel immense guilt afterwards. I thought that a lie is a lie and it is always morally wrong. While these thoughts were running through my head, they both surrounded me and there was no way I could walk past without answering them. 

Almost instinctively, I told them that I saw him run towards the music club. To sell the lie I pleaded with them to please go easy on him. The plea for mercy made them believe me and they rushed to the music club.

Afterwards, I was a little distraught as I had broken a promise to myself and I thought I would start my bad habit again as it all starts with a single lie. In hindsight, I felt a little guilty because I failed to account for one thing, the purpose of the lie. The purpose was not to avoid responsibility for my actions such as not doing my homework. I lied to save my friend and if you lie for someone else's sake then who is to say that you have done a wrong thing? 

I have now realized that lying is fine sometimes as long as the intentions and purpose are pure. Therefore, after that day, I changed my goal. Now, the goal wasn't to always tell the truth. It was to tell the truth and take accountability whenever I had done something wrong and to only lie when I knew that it would help someone. Almost nothing is inherently good or bad, the utilization of something determines its goodness or badness. Therefore, it's alright to lie sometimes but not to save your own skin but someone else's when he is being unjustly punished.