Monday 19 December 2016

The truth/s

We all have a system of right and wrong - a system of true and false
It is either inherited or developed. 
It is an astonishingly powerful system that gives us grounding. 
It is our base...it is our compass that we consult to navigate through life

The fact is, though, that we are not always open to admit to ourselves that our "truth system" is incredibly unique and others might not share it or rather have a very different one. 
We rarely respect the other people´s truths as it might not simply occur to us, that their truth is so very unlike ours.

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We judge others based on our truth. Once they do not fulfil our expectations, we end up upset, disappointed or let down.
Does that ring a bell at all?

One wise person told me, to open my mind that "the coin always has two sides"...that there can be two versions of a story.
Once, when discussing my essay with a professor, with whom we disliked each other very much, I tried to use the "two-sides of a coin" argument. With an arrogant smirk on his face he told me "Julie, there are always more sides of the coin".

Do we grant the people we disagree with the presumption of innocence (/ the right to their truth)? 
Do we make that painful effort to open our eyes and mind to other versions of truth? 
Do we think that anything beyond our truth is simply false or can we put ourselves in their shoes for a while and try to see the truth from their perspective?

Whatever the answers to those questions are, opening my eyes and understanding that there is an infinite number of truths which I need to respect and cherish has made my life easier, happier and more colourful.

What do you see? 
Which truth/s do you choose to follow?