Truth Is Absolute

Masayuki Sato

When you stumble over a stone or a bump while walking down a street, you probably stand up quickly and then start to walk in a hurry to hide the feeling of shame. In the same way, Winston Churchill, who was a British politician and became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, stated “Men stumble over the truth from time to time, but most pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened.” This statement is very sophisticated so it is tough to get the implication or true meaning.
 
What does this “stumble over the truth” imply? It implies noticing and facing the truth we don’t know, I think. In a relationship between couples, for example, sometimes you may realize the bad character of your partner. This makes you feel bad or sad, but actually it is essential truth. You can’t deny it. In this situation, you notice the truth and face the truth. That can be called “stumbling over the truth.” And what does this “most pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened” mean? This means most people try to understand that truth then they try to pretend to know the truth as if it is natural. Sometimes not knowing things leads to feeling shame. Therefore many people try to hide the fact they don’t know when they face this situation. So what is the overall meaning? I feel truth is absolute. We can’t resist the truth nor deny the truth. Even if the truth makes us feel unhappy or uncomfortable, we must accept it. That’s why humankind follows the truth sometimes as if they already know it.
 
Truth makes human beings happy or unhappy in each situation. But wherever the situation is, truth is absolute and also truth is the thing which doesn’t change eternally. Truth is the unique thing we can trust for sure.