Commitment to the Truth - a podcast by David K Payne

 

“The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You trade in your sense for an act. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask.” ― Jim MORRISON

Another crucial factor in finding an authentic life, especially regarding relationships, is a commitment to truth. For the religious person, this would imply finding the truth in regard to theological doctrine and dogma. To the judge or jury, it would be an attempt to ascertain what an actual event was measured by written law. The truth that I am talking about has to do with living our lives in such a way that we don’t have to hide our thoughts and actions from certain people and appear to believe certain things or live certain ways that are not really expressions of our activities when others are not looking.

Peck in “The Road Less Traveled deals with this commitment to truth in living as well as the subject of the variations of lies. Sometimes leaving information out is a form of lying or misrepresenting ourselves can be a form of lying, and Peck delves deep into the psychology behind when and why we tell something and withhold other things. The reality is that most of the time when we lie or misrepresent to protect someone, this attempt at protection is many times unsuccessful in the long run. Peck states that this is deprivation instead of protection and even when we fail to discuss thing with openness with our children they are deprived of knowledge that could be crucial to their survival throughout their lives.  Peck does acknowledge that sometimes we hold things back, like the contemplation of divorce, when it is not certain, to not drag our children through something that may or may not become a reality. We may deal with the subject of balance regarding information, opinions, felling, and ideas later. 

Finding such a balance regarding truthfulness is exceptionally challenging but necessary, though sadly according to Peck, most people “opt for a life of very limited honesty and openness and relative closedness, hiding themselves and their maps form the world.” (Peck, p. 63) Peck goes on to argue that the benefits of a life of honesty and dedication to appropriate truthfulness far outweighs the challenges and demands of such an approach to living.

The reality is when we are open and honest in our relationships, it is easier to initiate and maintain close relationships effectively. When you are committed to the truth you can live life more confidently knowing that you are not hiding things and having to be careful of who knows what and who you told what. A person committed to truth can be sure they have done nothing to add to the confusion of the world and can live honestly and openly, even if that honesty and openness alienates them from some, the persons they are close to having much greater relationships. Peck makes this statement. “Finally, they are totally free to be.” (Peck, p. 63)

If you follow my writing at all, you know Just Be has been a catchphrase for me for the past year or so. It is so liberating when you have gone through the steps of living with a commitment to truthfulness, and you are finally able just to be. Though there is a lot involved with making to a place where you are at peace with others not agreeing with you, arriving at the destination of being at peace within yourself is, and the result is the peace I believe Christ spoke about when He declared the truth will set you free.

Just Be

David

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