Truth

I’ve been assigned to read “Bonds that make us Free” by C. Terry Warner for my Psychology of Gender class this semester… and I can already tell that I’m going to love it. The first treasure that I found was in the preface. Here, the author warned the reader of the danger of taking any advice at face value and accepting it as truth. There is wisdom in finding out for one’s self what truth is. Truth is subjective to each individual… and as such, there is no better authority on what is right for you, than yourself. That is not to say that you cannot learn from those who are experts in a certain field or from your spiritual leaders… just don’t follow anyone blindly. You have a mind. You have been given the gift of discernment and judgment. Use it. Test the things that are being presented to you—think them over carefully, and if you determine them to be truthful, embrace them; if you find them to be untrue, discard and avoid them.

Warner has more than just advice for accepting truth in relation to theories or doctrine... he also illustrates the importance of finding truth about the relationships you are in—and being honest with yourself about what is really occurring. It is hard to admit to yourself when you are mistreating someone. It is hard to admit that you are in the wrong. But that does not mean it is not the truth. It does not matter how educated or experienced you are if you are hurting the ones you love by mistreating them. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect. There are no extenuating circumstances that denote otherwise. It breaks my heart that often times the ones that we hurt the most are the ones that are closest to us: the ones we should be the most sensitive and kind to are sometimes the recipients of the vilest cruelty. When opposing opinions or difficult situations present themselves, loved ones become viewed as enemies. This is something that must be avoided.