Core Value - Truth

"Truth is powerful and it prevails."

--Sojourner Truth

"Truth is our element"

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Chris Thurman, in his book The 12 Best Kept Secrets for Living an Emotionally Health Life writes, "Whether you realize it or not, truth is the most important issue in your life. It is more important than what you do for a living, who you are married to, or what you earn. I am convinced that truth is the bottom line of life. You cannot have "real life" without truth." Like the core value of trust, truth is believed by the writer to be considered inviolate. No, it is not the intention of this entry to come across as sanctimonious dribble, but it is believed that where an individual stands in regards to his/her beliefs about truth, and how it plays out in his/her own life speaks volumes about how that person perceives such human qualities as trust, character, respect, and dignity.

Ayn Rand noted, “The truth is not for all [men], but only for those who seek it.” In a like manner, Albert Einstein observed, “The search for truth is more precious than its possession.” Katherine Mansfield believed the risk in dealing with the truth matters enough that she said, “Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinions of others, for those voices. Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth.” Taking a more global perspective on the subject of truth and the risks associated with it, William Sloane Coffin stated, "The world is too dangerous for anything but truth and too small for anything but love."

Edmund Burke believed he knew where to find truth, but also believed finding it came with certain conditions. Burke wrote, "Truth resides in every human heart, and one has to search for it there, and to be guided by truth as one sees it. But no one has a right to coerce others to act according to his own view of truth." The problem with Burke's perspective, at least to some, is the suggestion of multiple truths, rather than a single "truth." Aside from the parochial Christian belief that Jesus Christ is the ultimate "Truth," the concept that there may be more that one truth is likely to create dissonance it the minds of the seekers. Perhaps this was partially what Oscar Wilde had in mind when he observed, “The truth is rarely pure and never simple.” In addition, Linda Ellinor was reported as saying, “What you perceive, your observations, feelings, interpretations, are all your truth. Your truth is important. Yet it is not The Truth.”

Perhaps one of the more difficult realizations for those who seek "truth" is the very fact that is has to be sought in the first place. Rational thought would have us believe, if truth is so concrete, then why is it not just downright obvious? The person seeking truth might first try to understand the obstacles that may await them along the way. Long ago, Tertullian, voiced the opinion that, “The first reaction to truth is hatred.” It is understandable that upon hearing such a perspective, a person might be hesitant to begin the search, or terminate it if already underway. But, as C.S. Lewis wrote regarding the seeking of truth, “If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.”

As Lewis notes, the pursuit of truth may pay off in the long run, but each individual has to weigh whether, or not, it is worth the risk. Dorothy Thompson speaking to such risk, suggested, "There is nothing to fear except the persistent refusal to find out the truth, the persistent refusal to analyze the causes of happenings." There was no doubt in Clarence Darrow's mind about pursuit of truth when he stated, "Chase after the truth like all hell and you'll free yourself, even though you never touch its coattails." Addressed a tad less flamboyantly than by Darrow, Max Planck related, "It is not the possession of truth, but the success which attends the seeking after it, that enriches the seeker and brings happiness to him. The British statesman Winston Churchill added his thoughts on the subject, “The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is.”

Just as with trust, the examination of the core value "truth" must begin at the individual level, looking within, before venturing without. Seeking truth, especially one's own awareness of truth, requires that stalwart ingredient associated previously with trust; courage. Acknowledging the risk involved in seeking one's truth, and/or the universal truth, one must call upon their fortitude to venture forward. Maya Angelou is aware of the importance of courage in seeking the truth, and writes, "One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest." Along this line of thought Virginia Wolf made the observation, "If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people."

A typical response to this suggestion might be "ouch!" Meaningful personal development and growth seldom come without an associated cost factor, but as an unknown author shared, “Unless your heart, your soul, and your whole being are behind every decision you make, the words from your mouth will be empty." In a similar fashion, Apple Computer's Steve Jobs said, “Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary, and each action will be meaningless. Truth and confidence are the roots of happiness.”

Earlier, Albert Einstein  was much of the same mind as Jobs confiding, "The ideals which have lighted me on my way and time after time given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. . . . The ordinary objects of human endeavor -- property, outward success, luxury -- have always seemed to me contemptible." Still, even earlier, the Buddha shared with his followers, "Believe nothing just because a so-called wise person said it. Believe nothing just because a belief is generally held. Believe nothing just because it is said in ancient books. Believe nothing just because it is said to be of divine origin. Believe nothing just because someone else believes it. Believe only what you yourself test and judge to be true." Regardless of how one words it, the journey towards truth must first turn inward, before advancing into what lies outward. The hope is that the person finds the truth that lies within in order to begin sharing with, and helping, others to discover their own truth.

The Children's Champion believes truth and truthfulness are as important, if not more important, in our dealings with children, as in any other life endeavor. Advocates for children cannot believe anything other than the innocence of children upon being born. Just as with trust, children learn to deal with matters of truth by the living examples around them, primarily parents and other close family members. As the caretakers of young minds, we must be ever vigilante of the example we set for them. Otherwise, we become but caricatures in a play based on folly at best; vice at worse. Albert Einstein observed, “Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.” Although the moral and ethical rearing of children is no "small matter," Einstein's point is still very relevant to the current discussion. If we are careless with truth in our dealings with children, how on earth can we be trusted to be truthful in any other aspect of life?

Being "truthful" with, and around, children is not all that is required of us. Mahatma Gandhi believed, "Whenever you have truth it must be given with love, or the message and the messenger will be rejected.” Thoreau, in a similar fashion wrote, "The only way to tell the truth is to speak with kindness. Only the words of a loving man can be heard.” The civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., although speaking to a much broader audience, was still on the same wavelength when he said, "I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." In simple language, it is more than just the message. It is the spirit and manner in which it is given. If we lack sincerity and honorable intention, then our words and actions will be but a shadowy, shallow, betrayal of truth, whether we recognize and accept it as such, or not.

The writer recognizes that some readers will consider the association of love and kindness with truth as soppy sentimentalism. The choice of how one wishes to respond to anything offered herein is always the reader’s option; however, the Children’s Champion chooses to go with the thoughts of Benjamin Disraeli, “Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for the truth.”

The wise individual will consider both the effect and affect of his or her decisions and actions. Why should it be any different when addressing the issue of truth? As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Truth, and goodness, and beauty are but different faces of the same all.” Except for the most diehard stoic, the truth can be a very emotionally difficult matter at times. Children, unless artificially hardened - and many of them are, unfortunately - understand that telling the truth can be an emotionally painful experience. You don’t believe that statement? Then why do children, and many adults, come to believe that it is easier to lie at times than to tell the truth? As adults, we must be willing to recognize that being truthful can, and often does, make one vulnerable. Edward R. Murrow once observed, “Most truths are so naked that people feel sorry for them and cover them up, at least a little bit.” How many of us dread standing in front of the bathroom mirror naked because of the image that is reflected back at us. If we can’t handle that “truth,” then how can we expect to honorably and responsibly address other matters of truth?

When we can recognize the universal transforming power of truth, and infuse the power of truth into our dealings with each other, especially children, we not only become exceptional role models, we hold within our hands the power to truly transform our world; our own truth. As George Orwell wrote, “In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.” Imagine that, we can become a revolutionary by consciously transcending falsehood, and telling and living the truth, even if it is our own truth. Emily Dickinson recognized, “Truth is such a rare thing, it is delighted to tell it.” Or in the words of Pearl S. Buck, “The truth is always exciting. Speak it, then. Life is dull without it.”

"Truth is not only violated by falsehood;

it may be equally outraged by silence."

-- Henri-Frederic Amiel

"The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie

 -- deliberate, contrived and dishonest --

but the myth -- persistent,

persuasive and unrealistic."

-- John F. Kennedy

"The beginning of wisdom is found in doubting;

by doubting we come to the question,

and by seeking we may come upon the truth."

--Pierre Abelard