Can either intuition or reason truly be trusted to truly bring us to truth? Is it a bad thing to shift positions? I am going to try harder to enjoy changing my mind and questioning. I am not sure if we are getting smarter, as DNA has not changed in the past 10,000 years; the human condition is the same. But we have access to so much more information. Being a truth seeker is my ultimate goal, as I was granted two ears but just one mouth. Socrates was given the hemlock, because he kept questioning the norms and that is maddening for most of us who want immediate resolve.
We want to believe that truth is within our grasp without realizing that truth is infinitely faceted and never completely within our grasp. Every time I open one door to find a simple truth, I walk into a room with some 13 more doors within. But leaders must, of course, choose which doors they think should open and which should not. In the end, most people are followers, and not leaders. Thus, we will always have this challenge to choose—while realizing we could be wrong.
Margaret Wachholz is the campus marketing director at Woodbury Senior Living. In her column, she shares observations and wisdom about aging and senior living in our community. woodburyseniorliving.com
