Discretion vs. Deception

Who do I tell? How do I tell? For what reasons do I tell? For a long time those questions followed me about being a recovering addict. A wise person in my recovery rooms said that there is a difference between discretion and deception.

I now face those same questions about my felony and why I will be leaving school and where I live (or rather my life as I currently know it) for almost a year. I will not be deceitful. I will not tell everyone it is a family thing or a medical thing - although some may think that. I currently have both family members ill and with chronic health issues. I will not lie. Lies get me in trouble. Lies cause me to have to lie more. Lies cause me to make up stories that I can't keep straight or I have to elaborate or I have to hope my friends can corroborate, lies are my life before recovery. Lies keep an addiction fueled. 

Discretion on the other hand is okay. There are wonderful people in my life. Friends and family, and friends who are like family, who know my whole story, and I trust them completely. There are others that I am not as close with. I do not have to tell the world. That is discretion. But I cannot lie. 

"I am taking a leave of absence for personal reasons. I would prefer not to talk about the reasons." That is all that is necessary. 

Will people gossip? Will people figure it out? Perhaps someone already told them... Well, I've had to realize the truth, "other people's opinions of me are none of my business." Maybe later, when I'm back in a year, I will want to tell more people, maybe I won't. That's my choice. It is my discretion. You have a right to privacy. Not a right to deception.