Why Lie?

Everybody lies all the time. Big lies, little fibs, white lies and whoppers -- I've heard them all. Suddenly, this year, I got tired of all the liars and simply removed them from my life. Things are so much better now!

The one remaining liar I have yet to jettison is myself, and that's the hardest. I can't simply unfriend me on Facebook or stop returning my calls, and I see me all the time. I am me.

I lie mostly to myself, constantly promising I will eat better, sleep more, get more exercise and stop lying to myself. As for lying to other people, I do it mostly to avoid hurt feelings, like when asked if I like a new haircut I say of course even if it's a disaster, or say someone's grandchild is adorable even when he/she/it looks like Rosemary's Baby. I also lie about politics all the time, but that cesspool of bottom-feeders deserves little more.

So why do you lie?