You Are Your Own Best Witness

A thousand years ago in what we now call Tibet, a man called Atisha was one of the great teachers and intellectuals of his time. He had a talent typical of the truly great teachers. He could say volumes in a few words. He is the one who taught, "You are your own best witness."

There are two truths to be drawn from this. First, you know yourself better than anyone else can know you. You are with yourself from your first breath at birth to your last at death. Only you hear and see all that happens to you. No one else can say that. If someone falsely accuses you, you can say, "You don't know me" and you are correct

But Atisha didn't say you were always right, he just said you were your own best "witness". You can witness a robbery that you can prevent, but turn and walk away. Or you can tell the police that you really don't remember what you saw, when you do, so you don't have to be involved. Or you can lie, in the hope that the thief will leave you alone.

You are your own best witness, but being a witness is not enough. It's your reaction that counts. It's not what you witness yourself doing, it's what you do when you witness yourself doing the wrong thing. When you realize that and use it to improve your life, than you can honestly say that you are your own best witness.