A woman posted a simple thought online, after watching a movie.
Turning to the people of parenting community, Mumsnet, the unnamed woman wondered if, like in films, people actually have "a secret which, if revealed, would affect your or your loved ones' lives in a significant way".
And it turns out that the answer is a resounding yes, many people are hiding dark secrets from their past, which could ruin their lives today.
Almost 500 people responded to the post, some sharing their deepest, darkest truths and others confirming they had a few secrets they would take with them to the grave.
One mum admitted to lying to her son about who his biological father was.
She wrote: "My eldest son has a different father to my other children, none of them know! Son is 21 now and his sperm donor father hasn't contacted since he was six months.
"I always thought that at 16/18/21 he might get in touch, but no.
"I wrestled with telling him for ages but I thought will the knowledge enhance his life and I figured no!"
Another person replied: "My family have no idea that I was a junkie and prostitute that spent time in a mental unit and women's refugee, that I was homeless and then lived in a hostel.
"I was hundreds of miles away from any of them at the time and I didn't see them for year. I only spoke to them occasionally."
Someone else confessed: "I used to be a lap dancer, absolutely no one knows that.
"I got with my husband when he left his first wife for me, that's not a secret as such, but our kids don't know and one day I worry they will think bad of us for it."
"I have committed fraud on more than one occasion," a different user responded.
"Not me, but I know a married woman who had an affair and became pregnant by her lover and is now bringing up the child as her husband's," commented another mum.
She continued: "I also know someone who has a long-standing (I'm talking years) affair with her husband's brother."
A sixth added: "Unfortunately yes. A couple which would end my career and one which would affect my family. And I'm so ashamed I cant even write it down on an anonymous forum!"
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