I like to mind-play with impossible concepts. Of course, I also know that nothing is impossible, but you know what I mean, don't you. You don't? You want me to tell you what I'm saying? Very well, I can do that. Like the man says in that particular movie you will immediately remember from this memorable quote: "I'm saying what I'm saying." And that, of course, is saying it all. Nothing like a little clarification, or a little claret, before we carry on.
From my point of view, what are impossible concepts? Concepts taken for granted, concepts any run-of-the-mill Earthian believes in, takes on, hand extended in supplication, lips puckered, legs wide open and eyes wide shut. You know, the stuff that never fails, that gives and never takes, so wonderful and warm and sweet and reliable and safe. For example? Love. Hope. Faith. Now that's taking on the big ones (even if I deliberately screwed up the order in which they are biblically mandated to be listed). I've also touched on will a few days ago; Will Power and of course, Free Will. Wonderful, wonderful things, those. Take 'em, you'll have it made. The ultimate Secret.
So let's add another to the list: Truth. "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!" (Or, as Herman1 so perfectly translated it while being sworn in: "I swerve to smell the soup, the toll booth, and nuts sing on the roof.") Indeed, and we all know that once that ritual is performed, that oath is taken, it is impossible not to tell the truth. And I happen to know of one politician who became famous for telling the truth. And wouldn't you know it, but with this Truth he Fathered a Nation. Now that's powerful business even if they failed to mention how said nation was birthed, i.e., who the Mother was. I guess fathering a nation is a lot like being God: don't need no woman. Wanna father a nation? Get a couple of trunks of fake bead necklaces, some seriously disgruntled tax-payers, some trigger-happy bushwhackers, a Swiss bank account and a dying cherry tree—cherry what? Maybe there was a Virgin involved in that.
And that's what I want to talk about. No, not business, not God, not virgins, or nations carved from cherry orchards, or even banking on Lake Geneva, but Truth. Perhaps even The Truth.
This is kind of a dangerous limb I'm going out on; akin to taking on a tag-team of King Kong and the Archangel Michael. While I was ruminating on how I'd tackle this subject without getting clobbered beyond any hope of recovery or even whacked, I began to experience Doubt; started to chicken out and that's not easy for a vegetarian. Truth, after all, is a pretty heavy thing. Think about the Responsibility it comes packaged in. That sort of thing belongs, not to an ordinary mortal with nothing to show for a life but a pair of worn out glasses and a torn safety vest, but to Those That Matter. Those That Count. They... you know... They. You can't know who They are, but you know They Are.
Truth does not reside in spilled milk, dirty diapers or ripped sweat shirts. Truth be told, Truth is an adjunct of History; belongs among the lofty realms of politicians, of lawyers and judges, of CEO's and assistants, of admen and salesmen; of bankers and investors; of generals and admirals; of kings and archdukes; of petty monarchs and beheaded queens; of preachers and televangelists. In short, Truth belongs to God. These are the people who know what truth is, make no mistake. And that's why I say that Truth is a heavy thing. These people have The Truth and they preach, push, foist, sell, loan, bomb this truth to all and sundry, 24/7 and never a break. And all around us we see the inevitable results of this Truth being so admirably, dedicatedly, if not always delicately, handled.
Isn't this a beautiful world? I call it the World of Truth. Why? Because it is founded on Truth. What promoter of whatever idea, system, ideology ever says, "I'm of course, wrong" ... or, "I'm not telling the truth" ... or, "I have no intention of living up to my promises, I just want your votes and your money." Whatever claims to be True has to be True otherwise who would know who is what and what is who? Maybe the owl, but of course the owl is considered wise and therefore to be eliminated. We want Truth, not Wisdom, thank you very much. Ketchup on my fries, not mayonnaise, even if they are French—the frites2, that is, not the They. They, as you probably discovered for yourself even as long ago as this morning while watching figure skating in Saudi Arabia, have no nationality.
In the Bible, John 8:32, we read: "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free." Taken totally out of context, just as religion pushers love to do with every single biblical verse, this could be considered one of those "Wow!" statements. Hang with Jesus, or if he fails to show up, hang with his freaks and there you are: full of Truth and because of that, you are now Free. Now there's a big deal.
But is this free from, or free for? Kind of like that door standing in the middle of the field, isn't it: when you stand beside it, are you in, or out?
I don't know where the Truth lies in all of this, but now it's much easier to see that it does lie. And so, I feel genuinely, sanguinely, fulfilled, having clarified the concept for you. No, you don't have to thank me. I do this because I do it, and that's the Truth.
"We have not succeeded in answering all of your questions. As a matter of fact we are now more confused than ever. However, we feel we are confused on a higher level and about more important things." (Anonymous)
1 from Herman cartoons, by Jim Unger
2 frites, n. French fries
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