Truth is precious. And like any precious thing, there are imitations everywhere, some cheap and obvious, others carefully crafted and subtle. The latter tend to be almost-truths, proffered to soothe our ego or our conscience, offering relief from the uncertainty and fear of an complex and contentious world, a siren call sheltering us from the sometimes sharp edges of reality.
At best, these near-truths are palliatives, offering some comfort even if they obscure root causes. At worst, they play a more sinister role, disengaging us from issues that desperately need our clear sight and best efforts. They can drive us away from each other and our best selves.
When we find truth, real truth, it resonates like a bell. “We know something is true,” taught Delose Conner, “because the first time we hear it, we know we’ve always known it.” I believe we have an intuitive responsiveness to truth, that we recognize it and are hungry for it, even if we are sometimes afraid what …
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