I have had a long and complex relationship with the truth.
As a young child, I was brought up always to tell the truth. It was clear to me that there was the truth, and everything else was not the truth. Learning the truth was like solving a puzzle, finding the right answer. Not knowing the truth was being confused, not being able to figure things out, being wrong.
Knowing the truth gave me a good deal of comfort and satisfaction.
My commitment to the truth shaped me as I grew older. I went to school, and worked to learn as much of the truth as I could. I studied law, committed to finding “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” I practiced law as a criminal prosecutor, seeking truth and justice through an adversarial system of argument and cross-examination.
My appreciation for the truth has grown and deepened over time. I still ask questions, and still help people find the truth in their lives. The questions are different, less adversarial, but they still seek the truth.
I have come to see that truth is both more important and more elusive than I used to see it. There is not only the truth and everything that is not the truth. The truth has many facets and shapes, many aspects that it is easy for us to miss.
The truth is more like listening to a story than solving a puzzle. Knowing the truth can be more confusing than not knowing it; there are many ways to see the truth, and each of them contains an answer.
I work with people to recognize and appreciate the truth that has shaped their lives.
What truths have shaped you, shown you who you are?
How do you find the truth in your life?
[Image by h.koppdelaney]
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