Sitting around the table eating dinner, truth is in the room. Can't fall asleep, truth is under the bed. It stays in the shadows walking down the street, lingers in the corners, sits beside us driving to work. Truth is always around yet we continue to ignore its existence. Truth wants to be found. Wants to be heard. The only voice it has are from those who seek it, know it, and spread it.
As we come together as people we tend to gather in groups. Political groups, religious groups, and the biggest example of groups are shown every time a sports game is played. Whose side are you on. What we seem to ignore is the truth. When ever we pick a side we claim we are right and they are wrong. I wish it could be that simple. Many times the cause is "We don't know, What we don't know"
Communication is the vehicle by which we create and maintain all our human relationships. Truth, your truth their truth, His truth, Her truth, there seems to be so many truths out there that seperate us into groups. Why is this? If we speak the "Truth" when we talk or write to others, then these relationships should be deep and honest. But there are many reasons why we do not speak the truth on a given subject. Let's look at these reasons and why the truth is ignored.
Reasons Why You Might Not Speak The Truth:
- You don't know the truth:
- You fear the consequences:
- You think the other person will not hear, or be able to handle, the truth
- You don't want the other person to tell you their truth:
- Telling the truth requires awareness.
That's simple! You can't tell what you don't know yourself. Many times, we don't know the truth because we have not been informed, we have not researched it, or examined what we believe for ourselves. But, because we want others to think we understand we agree, we come up with what makes us feel good, or what others have told us over the years. That is not simple at all!
Sometimes if you tell the truth there are potentially significant consequences either for yourself or others. You may find it easier to tell the truth only when it is non-threatening. But what is the hidden cost? When avoidance of consequences becomes paramount we end up only telling the truth when it is convenient. We carry around with us an uncomfortable inventory of past censorships and uncommunicative thoughts and feelings.
You can control how you speak your truth, but you cannot control how someone else hears, interprets, or reacts to it. In trying to protect or shield another from the truth you are in effect diminishing them - restricting their access to important information and down playing their potential for resiliency. If you speak the truth with compassion and let the other person know you are coming from a place of wanting only the best for them, chances are they will be able to take what you are saying in a positive way and draw upon their own internal resources to react appropriately. Don't underestimate them. Show your belief in their ability to handle it. Offer them the gift of your truth and give them the opportunity to surprise and delight you with their response.
Sometimes you just don't want to ruin a perfectly good, but superficial, relationship by telling the truth. After all, if you tell your truth, it is only equitable that you allow the other person to tell theirs. And what are the risks to that? The other person might say something which conflicts with your view of the world. The other person might criticize you, what you do, or how you believe. You risk deepening the relationship by only telling half truths. Not much different than half lies. Hummmmm
Too often we don't want to be aware. It's just easier going through life unaware. Awareness is knowledge. Our lack of knowledge, or our limited resources to true knowledge, keeps us from knowing everything, as we like to think we do. One method (suggested by Thomas Leonard) for becoming more aware of your own truth is to reduce or eliminate anything that clouds or numbs your ability to recognize truth as it emerges (e.g., adrenaline, stress, excessive busyness, mind-altering drugs or alcohol, addictions, etc.)
Another way is to consciously ask yourself what you believe to be true in each situation, and be willing to challenge yourself and your beliefs daily.
There are many other reasons people do not tell the truth 100% of the time. If you really think through each situation they just do not hold water. You can't ignor truth forever as we will see. But people revert to what makes them feel good, how they were raised, or just not caring at all.
Your Truth Is Your reality.
Believe it or not we all live in our own little reality. This occurs from information that was given to us, researched by us, or even our own preferences. We all know that we cannot relay on our own devices or feelings. Yet we do much of the time. We are also given information by entities that may not be true. Corporations who seek to make a profit on how you think and feel. Governments who spread propaganda to keep people on their side and stay in power. Let's not forget religious groups, which are many, contradict their own beliefs to suit their own interests.
We all have been lied to. People are just that way. They lie to hide things, promote things, and sometimes just to hurt people. I believe that lies are told to make things appear better than they are. Lies are cover-ups to our inability to understand the truth. Either we do not have the knowledge, or we just do not care enough about a subject to find that knowledge. So, lies will prevail when people are ill informed. Lies hurt! No doubt about it. Wouldn't it be nice to live in a world without lies!
It All Starts With Knowledge
If what you belive is not "Truth", Then how you live is a lie.
For centuries sailors were warned not to go far from shore because the world was flat and a ship could sail right off the edge. We know the truth now and ships sail around the globe.
Think how people lived while under the guise of a flat earth. Think of the fear that sailors would have while believing this "untruth" or opinion. Many lived their whole life believing a lie. It effected how they lived their lives, how they perceived their surroundings, and effected the choices they made
If you know the truth than you can face it head on just like the sailor who first crossed the ocean. I imagine that at first they were looking around wondering if they were going to fall off the edge. Some things we believe will have lasting effects on us. It is important then to know the truth! The problem is can we handle the truth? Do we really want to know the truth? I don't know about you but I really do not want to live a lie. What do we believe? How do we live? Are you going to fall off the edge?
Honest education is a good way to find the truth. Examining the evidence is a way juries decide what the truth is. Lets stop believing the latest trend or or what feels good. Lets become scholars of the truth. As for me....well I don't want to come across conceded or opinionated but than I can afford to be because.... I'm Right!
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