My family and friends know that I hate keeping secrets, but that doesn’t stop them from piling them on. (I think their ulterior motive is to test my loyalty, which, fortunately, I have, thus far, passed.) But this success has required much turmoil, at times, on my part. I’ve had sleepless nights and I have avoided some social occasions just because I’ve had a secret to guard.

Now I know that everyone needs a good friend or family member with whom they feel free to share anything. But why does it have to always be me? At any given time, I’m loaded with secrets! I can’t tell those I love to keep these things, these secrets, away from me. What kind of friend would I be?

I’ve been keeping secrets for decades and I guess I’ll be doing this for years to come. Just don’t give me a funny look if you see me with my hand or a piece of tape across my mouth. It might be my way of controlling my diet, or it just might be that I am carrying still another secret!