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When I was younger, I thought I was really clever. I believed that telling a small lie wasn’t a big deal. I didn’t know how wrong I was — until one day when everything changed.

It all started when I was 14 years old. Our school was having a big football match, and we were practicing every week. But one day, I forgot to bring my football shoes. Our school had a rule: no shoes, no playing.

I knew my dad wouldn’t leave work just to bring my shoes. So, I made up a story.

I went to the office and pretended to look sad. The teacher asked me what was wrong, and I said quietly, “My mom is very sick. I need to go home.”

The teacher looked really worried and called my dad right away. I hoped he wouldn’t answer. But he did.

Fifteen minutes later, Dad came to pick me up. He looked very scared. “What happened?” he asked.

I repeated my lie. “She fainted this morning. I’m really worried about her.”

Dad looked even more concerned and tried to call Mom. I was so scared. What if she answered and said she was fine? But she didn’t answer, so he believed me.

He told me to get in the car, and we started driving home. I smiled a little and said, “I’ll just grab my football shoes before going back to school.”

Dad slowed down and looked at me. “Football shoes?” he asked.

Oh no. I was caught.

He didn’t yell. He didn’t even say a word. That was worse.

When we got home, Mom was sitting on the couch, watching TV. She looked perfectly fine.

She asked, “Why are you both home so early?”

Dad sat down beside her and said, “Tell her.”

I looked down and whispered, “I lied.”

Nobody shouted. Nobody got angry. But the way Dad looked at me — that quiet, disappointed look — hurt the most.

That evening, he sat with me and said, “A lie is like a tiny crack in a window. At first, it’s small. But soon, the whole window breaks. You broke my trust today. Next time, even if you tell the truth, how will I know?”

I felt terrible. That’s when I understood: even a small lie can do big damage.

From that day on, I made myself a promise — no matter what, I would always tell the truth.