Morning Pogue,

I love a conspiracy theory, not that I’m given to believing them. Well, not most of them. But every now and then along comes a supposed conspiracy that has just enough tangible content to make me stop and ponder. Like, that does sound plausible and, I’ve wondered that for quite a while. Not the one about the British Royal family being shape shifting aliens or the one claiming the earth is flat. But, given the immense vastness of the Universe I’m quite open to a number of ‘is life out there’ theories.

Why am I starting your week with conspiracy theories? Well it all has something to do with the truth and the fact that it can be as rare as alien sightings in this day and age. From conversations with friends and strangers, at an individual level, right up to national governments, truth can be hard to find. But then, we don’t always recognise the difference between a truth and a lie and some people lie with such eloquence it is hard to believe we’ve been lied to. I spoke with a stranger last week who, laughingly told me how he’d recently travelled to an African city with his sister, who was visiting for the first time. After a while she had turned to him and asked, ‘Where are all the starving children?’ His reply? ‘Oh that’s just the BBC’.

People can tell you what they want you to believe and unless it is some outrageous statement we can all be sucked in. They can also believe what they tell you and deliver the narrative with sincerity and conviction. Then there are occasions when it may seem a kindness to deliver a slightly altered version of the truth or even rewrite the script. But remember, people may take actions in the present and build their future on what you tell them. So, how ever hard, they deserve to hear it as it is. The truth gives us all a solid foundation on which to build. Whether we choose to do so is up to us but building on an illusion has the continued potential for disaster.

I guess the big question is how do we know the truth when it presents itself. I’m all for giving people the benefit of the doubt, at least until they have proven their really don’t deserve it. But even when given I like to reserve judgement. I’m never going to bet the bank on something I haven’t done my own ‘due diligence’ on. Oh, I’ve loaned money based on seemingly plausible stories but I never lend more than I can afford to lose unless I have solid evidence of what I’m being told. And, yes, I’ve been misled and let down. But I did what I did out of an overriding motivation of kindness so I’m not bitter. Kindness is its own reward.

Then there are times when I know something isn’t right. We’ve all experience that, yes? As said, if something appears to be too good to be true it usually is, and there’s a firm basis for approaching these situations.

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, approach others with kindness but do understand that sometimes the kindest thing is the hard thing and that may be telling the truth. Receive people’s stories openly and realise that even when questionable the person you are listening to may sincerely believe what they tell you. Last week we wrote on grace. Be graceful in your dealing with people but act on the truth you perceive. You may need to listen and say no, or as Bernie Taupin wrote in Border Song, ‘please excuse my frankness but it’s not my cup of tea’. Retain your personal peace.

Kindness. Personal peace. That’s the combination I think I’ll strive for this coming week. Sound good to you? Sounds good to me.

Yours, accepting truth is a rare commodity,

Wic