Truth

My husband and I were discussing an incident that someone close to us shared. The incident involved a young adult "losing it" when saying goodbye to friends as she left her college dorm at graduation. We wondered if the "losing it" was as loud as reported---"sobs and screaming that could be heard all over the dorm." The person doing the reporting was concerned for the young woman and also for the parent who had been supporting and loving this young woman through many years of depression and an anxiety disorder. The parent had said "it wasn't a big deal" and downplayed the incident when asked about it.

As my husband and I discussed the incident we talked about how each person had their own "truth" in the reporting. They each had their own history with the young woman. They each had their own expectations of her behavior. They each had their own standard of social behavior.

When we as listeners hear different variations on a particular incident or even a particular political perspective, it is important to remember that we all have different ways of evaluating people, places and things. We come from different histories. How do we know the truth?

In the incident above it really isn't important to know "the truth." It is only helpful to remember that each person comes from a different history. We must not say "well he or she must be judging" "or "he or she must be lying." We must not judge.

In this Holy Week as we commemorate the death of Christ, we remember "He is the Truth, the Way and the Light." That's all we really need to know.

Blessings-Penny