To tell the truth

The word, truth, has always fascinated me. From the time I was a small child I was told that it was important for me to tell the truth. You were required to tell the truth on the witness stand in court. There was even a game show in which three contestants claimed to be the same person, and the panelists had to decide the 'true' person based on what they presented as the truth. I hear people say, "Speak your truth." What they all seem to share is their explanation of the individual's reality. The question then becomes, "How much of the reality that you are sharing with me am I willing to accept?" Your response becomes contingent on what my own reality is. The closer it is to what I believe, the easier I find it to fall into the category of truth. What happens when the information you have that has formed your reality changes? Some new piece of data significantly transforms your interpretation of an event. A new 'truth' or reality is now in place. Does that mean that everything you have believed and shared with others up until that point has been a lie? What was easily judged as either a truth or a lie is now a little more complicated. Truth may be as subjective as it is objective. This blog is not an attempt to convince you that telling the truth is unimportant. It is about having a better understanding of what it means and how it can change for each of us. When we are told to take in information with a grain of salt, remember that salt symbolized wisdom. Remind yourself of how truth and reality intertwine. Know that each person's reality is just as unique as they are as they tell the truth. What does telling the truth mean to you?