My Thoughts Are All Right

October 25th, 2017

Have you ever gone back and read anything you've written a long time ago? I cringe every time. Even reading papers I submitted for classes last year makes my mind curl up in a ball and wonder what I could've possibly been thinking when writing that. It seems that a year, or even just a couple months, is enough to allow you to see the folly of your writing and see clearer how it could've been better. Woulda coulda shoulda, right? Well, yes. Try going back and reading some of your own writing some time. It can be rather revealing. And if you think about it enough, you may realize that some things you said or claims you made really should have been tempered better. That's a good realization to come to. Let it inform you about what you say now.
Think to yourself, "I feel really strongly about this issue and I know I'm a hundred percent right on this, so I need to enlighten the world, or at least those around me to the truth. Oh, but wait... I remember a couple months ago about that other thing I was equally sure of, and now when I look at it it looks kinda dumb. Maybe I should think about this more before I make such a strong claim, or perhaps tone it down a little."
I think far too often we are too sure about how right we are. Think about it. There are millions of people in this world, and thousands and thousands of different takes on various subjects. Many of these thoughts are contradictory, so it's very likely that many if not most are 'wrong', or at least 'less right' or 'not optimal'. If that's the case, think about all the beliefs and thoughts you have. Chances are not all of them are perfect, and there's still plenty of room for improvement. Improvement is difficult though, because you believe you're right. Otherwise you wouldn't believe what you do, right? Therefore we should take everything with a grain of salt. Even those things we currently believe vehemently at the moment. Chances are, in a year or two, or maybe just a few months, we may be better able to judge how well our thoughts align with the truth, and we can make the appropriate adjustments. Some, at this point, may begin to doubt my claim that we should take everything with a grain of salt. Aren't there a few core beliefs we KNOW are true? Yes. That's why I say we should take everything with a grain of salt, even the saying 'take everything with a grain of salt'. It's up to you to know which are truly true, and those things you merely suppose to be true because it seems like that's the case. This is where wisdom comes in. Now again, at this point the vigilant reader may wonder what in the world my argument is about, since I've essentially made no claims that I haven't refuted right after myself. 'Take everything with a grain of salt even the saying, 'take everything with a grain of salt'.' technically refutes itself and doesn't help us get anywhere. And you'd be right, technically. But I think you know what I'm trying to communicate by this, and I hope you'll learn to hold as true those things that are true, and learn to not hold those lesser truths you have on the same level with the Great Truths.

Now perhaps I'll read this months from now and think, "Wow I'm kinda stupid." But if we let that stop us from writing anything at all, there wouldn't be anything to read, now would there? Just don't elevate your everyday thoughts to the level of the Gospel while doing so, eh? Peace out.