SOMEONE ELSE'S TRUTH

How do we, as human beings ever learn anything? Of course there are many different ways for one to learn something new. But most of us learn from what another person tells us. As a child we are taught by our parents or other caretakers until we reach that point in maturity where we can learn from our own experiences. Here is what I consider a must for any of us who are truly seeking our own answers. And that must is that we need to become very aware that what others teach us is really only what they conceive as truth. And just because they say it is true doesn't necessarily make it true for us. Again, there are many truths that will stand the test of time. An example--Your parents teach you to not walk into the street while cars are coming toward you. You know what happens if you do, and that is a fact that will never change. But the truths I wish to talk about today are those truths that one accepts as their guideline to living a good life. Here is where it gets real tricky trying to decide if another's truth is going to be the same for you. An example--your parents belong to a religious sect that has it own set of guidelines to follow. The parents are convinced that this is the right way to live and the right way to go in finding your spiritual path to enlightenment. So naturally, wanting what they believe is the best for you, they teach you their truth and expect you to follow in their footsteps. This can and has worked for many people throughout the years. But there are many cases when one just doesn't feel that the path their parents have chosen for them is the right one. So they rebel against that particular teaching and go off in search for their own path. Some parents accept that and encourage their children to discover for themselves their own way of doing things. But oft times the parents are heartsick over the rebellion and just can't come to terms with it. So in too many cases the child and the parent go their separate ways and can never fully comprehend what went wrong. The one point I am trying to make today is that I feel one must be careful before accepting something as "true" just because someone else says it is. Any time one reads another's writings they should be very aware that the author is only sharing his truths. And this does not necessarily make it true for you or for anyone else. Everything you read, everything you hear is only that persons truth. It can be very hard for one to accept that all he has been taught by others is not what they should adhere to. And in trying to learn one's truth can definitely take many turns along the way. I believe we should  strive to learn to think for ourselves even if this means we have to first forget what we have been told. And that in itself can cause trouble for us in our relationships with family and others. I'm sure most parents have only good intentions in teaching their offspring to accept what they say. But I sure don't think they should think any less of their kids when they do explore other avenues in their personal search for answers to life's questions. But in a lot of cases the parent cannot accept that they may be wrong and then blame themselves for their kids not believing in the same way. One thing I have noticed in this life is how someone who depends on another's interpretation for finding truth is this. When they find a path they think is the right one for them they then surround themselves with like-minded folks as they continue to search. This is all well and good but I have oft times seen someone get so infatuated with their group of people they seem to quit thinking that they may still be not on the path that will lead them to enlightenment. An example, someone searching for spiritual growth finds a church or denomination that they feel is the right one. And at that moment they think they have found the answers and then they stop thinking for themselves and just listen to what the others say is true. That is also how some cults became the sham they were. What I am saying is I feel one should keep on with an open mind even after they have supposedly found the truth. And instead of looking down on the ones that don't agree with them they should accept that even though they feel secure in their beliefs, that there is a chance that what they now feel so good about could one day change. Personally, I don't think any of us will reach our full potential until the day or night we draw our last breath. Teaching and learning is something all  of us do every moment.  Here's hoping we will continue our search with an open mind. Be good to yourself and even better to others. And may we all become a little less judgmental and more accepting of others whose beliefs may be different. I leave all of you with thoughts of perfect love, perfect peace, and perfect oneness.