--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's one thing to keep secrets. It's…" description: "\"It's one thing to keep secrets. It's quite another to lie.\" — Franny Billingsley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d7/franny-billingsley-3192_lying_it-s-one-thing-to-keep-secrets-it-s-quit_3091473.png" --- # It's one thing to keep secrets. It's quite another to lie. ![“It's one thing to keep secrets. It's quite another to lie.” quote by Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d7/franny-billingsley-3192_lying_it-s-one-thing-to-keep-secrets-it-s-quit_3091473.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d7/franny-billingsley-3192_lying_it-s-one-thing-to-keep-secrets-it-s-quit_3091473.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d7/franny-billingsley-3192_lying_it-s-one-thing-to-keep-secrets-it-s-quit_3091473.png) > “It's one thing to keep secrets. It's quite another to lie.” [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Distinguishes between hidden truths and deceitful lies, urging honesty. **In simple terms:** Secrets differ from lies. Key Takeaway Choose truth over concealment. Themes honesty trust integrity Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - personal relationships - workplace ethics - conflict resolution Key Concepts ethical behavior psychology of secrecy Questions to Reflect On - When is secrecy justified? - How do lies affect trust? A Different Perspective Sometimes secrecy protects others; lies can be protective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Quite Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quite-lie-5318434/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrets/) [Secrets Quite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrets-quite-5318435/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Thing Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-secrets-1677652/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“The thing is, secrets are awful in lots of ways, but they almost never lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-karyus-quinn/the-thing-is-secrets-are-awful-in-lots-of-ways-but-they-almost-never/) [Kate Karyus Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-karyus-quinn/) > [The thing about secrets is they keep you in a prison. Once you share, WHOOSH, there is a release.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/the-thing-about-secrets-is-they-keep-you-in-a-prison-once-you-share/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [That was the thing about secrets-you had to carry them with you forever, no matter what the cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kass-morgan/that-was-the-thing-about-secrets-you-had-to-carry-them-with-you/) [Kass Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kass-morgan/) > [“that's the thing with secrets. They're leaky; you can't decide to share the bits that suit you without a million questions oozing out. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kelly/that-s-the-thing-with-secrets-they-re-leaky-you-can-t-decide-to-share/) [Erin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kelly/) > [Guess what it is that turns plants to coal. Pressure. Guess what it is that turns limestone to marble. Pressure. Guess what it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/guess-what-it-is-that-turns-plants-to-coal-pressure-guess-what-it-is/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [None are so fond of secrets as those who do not mean to keep them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/none-are-so-fond-of-secrets-as-those-who-do-not-mean-to-keep-them/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Sometimes just the act of sharing a painful secret can relieve some of the pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-just-the-act-of-sharing-a-painful-secret-can-relieve-some/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'll tell you all my secrets but I lie about my past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-ll-tell-you-all-my-secrets-but-i-lie-about-my-past/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“To let one into your mind was to give him or her all your secrets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-patrick-kennedy/to-let-one-into-your-mind-was-to-give-him-or-her-all-your-secrets/) [John Patrick Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-patrick-kennedy/) > [I wonder if it's ever really possible to know the truth about someone else, or if the best we can do is just stumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-wonder-if-it-s-ever-really-possible-to-know-the-truth-about-someone/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [The value of secrets is ever fluctuating although ladies who have been in society for a long time learn that a secret kept can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-godbersen/the-value-of-secrets-is-ever-fluctuating-although-ladies-who-have/) [Anna Godbersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-godbersen/) > [Some secrets are better left at that -as secrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/some-secrets-are-better-left-at-that-as-secrets/) [Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/) > [“It hardly needs to be said: sooner or later secrets have a way of making themselves known.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-morton/it-hardly-needs-to-be-said-sooner-or-later-secrets-have-a-way-of/) [Kate Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-morton/) > [Every person has at least one secret that will break your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana/every-person-has-at-least-one-secret-that-will-break-your-heart/) [AnA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana/) > [Women know things that men will never know. We keep the best secrets. We tell the best stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/women-know-things-that-men-will-never-know-we-keep-the-best-secrets/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## More by Franny Billingsley > [I hope you don’t mind my joining you,” said Leanne. I minded. After all, she’d tried to kill me. A girl in a novel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/i-hope-you-don-t-mind-my-joining-you-said-leanne-i-minded-after-all/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [I've confessed to everything and I's liked to be hanged. Now, if you please](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/i-ve-confessed-to-everything-and-i-s-liked-to-be-hanged-now-if-you/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [Meaning. If you're going to die, you want to find meaning in life. You want to connect the dots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/meaning-if-you-re-going-to-die-you-want-to-find-meaning-in-life-you/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [You could at least complain,” I say. “I adore complaining. It calms the nerves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/you-could-at-least-complain-i-say-i-adore-complaining-it-calms-the/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [Thoughts are strange creatures. They lead you from one thing to another. Sometimes you don’t know how you got from one to the next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/thoughts-are-strange-creatures-they-lead-you-from-one-thing-to/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [Guess what it is that turns plants to coal. Pressure. Guess what it is that turns limestone to marble. Pressure. Guess what it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/guess-what-it-is-that-turns-plants-to-coal-pressure-guess-what-it-is/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [“I was going to ask him, yes I was. “You remember Blackberry Night?” The torches were alive with yellow butterfly-flames. “I can’t forget it.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/i-was-going-to-ask-him-yes-i-was-you-remember-blackberry-night-the/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [You don’t mind when he stares at you.” Cecil jerked his head toward Eldric. "He doesn’t stare,” I said. “He looks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/you-don-t-mind-when-he-stares-at-you-cecil-jerked-his-head-toward/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [“I love you. I believe it. I believe I am lovable. How can something as fragile as a word build a whole world?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/i-love-you-i-believe-it-i-believe-i-am-lovable-how-can-something-as/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [People think me a sort of Florence Nightingale, but I have no heroic qualities. I simply don’t feel very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/people-think-me-a-sort-of-florence-nightingale-but-i-have-no-heroic/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [“It never ends, this business of being a lady.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/it-never-ends-this-business-of-being-a-lady/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [“Smash the table, why don’t you? Kick things about. It’s ever so nice to see you embrace the true spirit of the Fraternitus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/smash-the-table-why-don-t-you-kick-things-about-it-s-ever-so-nice-to/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [“This is the difference between Eldric and me. Had it been my job to transform the garden, I would have removed the clothesline. Clotheslines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/this-is-the-difference-between-eldric-and-me-had-it-been-my-job-to/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [I was asking about lust, wasnʼt I? I was fairly certain of it. But isnʼt love supposed to come before lust? It does in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/i-was-asking-about-lust-wasn-t-i-i-was-fairly-certain-of-it-but-isn-t/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [“I have a theory about how she might have managed to pull off such a feat. It comes in the form of an equation:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/i-have-a-theory-about-how-she-might-have-managed-to-pull-off-such-a/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) [Explore all 137 Franny Billingsley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) ## More Lying quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Heaven lies around us in our infancy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/heaven-lies-around-us-in-our-infancy/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/) [Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [I just can’t, Nick, okay? Now, please give me a second to lie here in silence and bleed.” – Caleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-just-can-t-nick-okay-now-please-give-me-a-second-to-lie-here-in/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [falsehood is not more unjustifiable than unsafe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-burney/falsehood-is-not-more-unjustifiable-than-unsafe/) [Fanny Burney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-burney/) > [There are no white lies, there is only the blackest of destruction, and a white lie is the blackest of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/there-are-no-white-lies-there-is-only-the-blackest-of-destruction-and/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [It lies around us like a cloud- A world we do not see; Yet the sweet closing of an eye May bring us there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/it-lies-around-us-like-a-cloud-a-world-we-do-not-see-yet-the-sweet/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) [Browse all 13,166 Lying quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's one thing to keep secrets. 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