I recently heard an interview with Carlos Santana, focusing on the highlights of his musical career. Happily married to the same wife for many years, he had developed a belief in some enduring values, one of which struck me as worth thinking about. It went something like this – a sense of gratitude brings joy to the soul. I had an off-day not long after that interview where the sunshine and the beautiful scenery were unable to touch me. Good feelings come and go. During the valley experiences, I have sometimes been in the habit of writing 5 daily reasons to be thankful in a journal called “Counting my Blessings.” It’s amazing what healing power there is in developing a grateful heart.
The Trouble With Truth
What is Truth?
In a court of law, we are expected to swear on the Bible to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. But I wonder if the word truth means the same thing to any two people, and if there is a universal concept of the truth. Why is truth so highly valued by the courts of the land that perjury is considered a serious offense?
If the opposite of truth is error, then any computer user will testify how annoying program errors are. We would prefer the software to have integrity, and for the developer to abide by the rules of the programming language. Is truth then a set of rules that cause havoc if broken? Perhaps. Can I have one set of rules and you have another? There are some who would like to think so when applied to behavior. Do marriages tend to unravel when each spouse is operating from opposing ground rules, based on different family backgrounds and beliefs?