Perception

     My dad used to say there are three kinds of truth - truth as you see it, truth in advance, and truth as it is.  Truth in advance is when you are writing the check for the bill collector who is on the phone and telling him you just mailed it.  It's true that the payment is basically in the mail.  Truth as it is would dictate that you are going to mail it out as soon as you get out again and off the phone with the bill collector.  Truth as it is would be hard to discern.  The reason is because truth as you see it gets in the way so much.  If there is a car accident in an intersection and four different people are standing in four different places then they will all have a different perception of what happened.  Especially different in that accident would be the perspective of the two or more drivers in the accident themselves.  It's all true that there was an accident, but the people in the cars are not going to want to say they are at fault because they knew what they were doing at the time.  The people on the corners watching the collision could say different things depending on where they stood. 
     When my boys get into a fight I know they both see it as unfair.  Both boys (or even several of them sometimes) see it as the other person's fault.  They see themselves as the victim and that they have been unfairly dealt by their brother.  I agree.  Both are usually being unfair.  However, it takes a listening ear and an outside perspective to hear both sides to let both of them know how they are each being unreasonable.  The fight in either perspective is truth as they see it.  Be it that their brother took a toy from them and they "had it first", or whatever else.  They are viewing it from their perspective and therefore it's truth as they see it. 
     We all have issues with the truth in our heads vs. the truth as it is.  I have what I've found to be a unique view point when it comes to some things.  I'm able to take myself out of the situation and see it from all angles.  Even with this, sometimes it's hard to use it when the truth as I see it comes out in droves.  I have some situations that I would like to resolve or fix, but am unable at this point to take myself out of it all and see truth as it is.  It's especially hard when the truth as it is is skewed so much by every one's truth as they see it. 
     I'm very happy with life.  I've found peace in many aspects and situations.  I've been through some hard things and found myself on top at the end.  I want to be a better person and try for the real truth and not just the truth that is in my own mind.  If I can remember it's always about the other people I'm around and how they feel, it'll be better.  One step at a time.  One lesson at a time.  I'm grateful for a Dad who always told me that I'll never make all the mistakes I'll have to make in this life to learn all the things I'll need to know.  He taught me to learn from other's mistakes and build my knowledge on that as well as my own mistakes.  I'm hoping to remember to look at the truth as it is and learn my lessons of truth rather than the truth of my mind.  They are much better lessons and much more deeply rooted that way.  Now, on to teaching the kids what I've learned.