One Simple Truth

Inspired by this week’s prompt:

As soon as I read this week’s prompt, I began thinking about things that were true. I surmised that it would be based on things that were true (or so I thought). I loved Amy Marley’s idea that truth is fluid, but I’ll touch on that later on.

I decided to start with “little truths”. I was a career mathematics teacher. I was sure I could be able to find a truth very quickly. 1 + 1 = 2, 2 x 4 = 8 these had to be the little truths I was looking for.

Then… I thought deeper on it. These are taught as facts. They are based on the assumption that a certain quantity is “one”. There we go, starting with an assumption. Then it went deeper, numbers and mathematics were invented. Can invented things be a basic truth? I needed to look further.

Gravity, yes gravity, which is a constant. That acts equally on everything. But it doesn’t. It depends on how aerodynamic something is. A feather does not fall at the same rate as a stone. The rate that something falls is limited by that constant but it can be different. Light, then certainly light, but the speed of light travels at different speeds as it travels through different things.

Truth is based on input, assumptions, and beliefs. For some people, belief is such a strong factor that everything else is ignored. There are some people that believe the earth is flat. That used to be a truth. “The earth is the center of the universe.” That used to be a truth.

I decide what is true for me based on input, assumptions, and beliefs. You may possess the same input, assumptions, and beliefs but come up with a different truth. Truth can change based on knowledge, focus, beliefs and many other factors.

General truths might be easier. We know things will eventually fall, but planes can be refueled in the air and fly continuously. We need nourishment to remain alive, but certain species can remain in a dormant state for many years leaving it when conditions are right. I could go on and I am sure you might think of others that might work on the surface but I think I have made my point.

We need to keep an open mind. We need to learn that truth is not absolute. We need to be like children wide eyed seeing a magic trick for the first time and knowing things can be made to disappear. It is only by keeping an open mind that truth might stay with us because we and it can change based on new input or changing assumptions. It is happening around the world right now.

So, if I held your attention this far, I am ready to reveal my one simple truth. I am sure I could have found others. I am sure I could have found one more profound. But maybe not. It might be because I read Diana C.’s and Amy Marley’s posts before I started thinking on this. My one truth is: If I drink enough beer I eventually have to pee. I have tried to change my beliefs on this in the past. I have tried to change my assumptions. I have changed my input from one brand to another but…

When I drink enough beer I have to pee.