Truth is in the eye of the beholder. It is not the same as fact. One person’s truth is another’s ‘false news’. There is no one truth.
I can look at a painting and declare it the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Someone else may hate it and and say it’s ugly pretentious crap. We’re both telling the truth but that doesn’t make it fact. The painting may or may not be either one. It can only be beautiful or repellent in the eye of its beholder.
Our individual interpretation and understanding of facts create our personal reactions and truths. On a broader level families and communities agree wider societal truths. Truths based on culture, beliefs, politics, survival instincts...
The scariest thing in the world is to confront your own truths. It’s also the biggest adventure of our lives and one worth taking.
I’ve always loved adventure and still do. My adventures have changed in shape and context over the years but the three main forums for them have remained constant: writing, physical activity (especially skiing) and mountains.
I think the reason lockdown hasn’t felt anywhere near as bad I thought it would back in March last year, is that I haven’t had to give up any of my adventures. I can still write and in fact have much more time to do it. I might not be able to ski but I have yoga which I love almost as much. Or maybe even just as much. It’s the mountains I can’t replace with anything else. I have photos and pictures all over the place, I pretend the clouds are my favourite peaks, I watch ski racing and every video the Chamonix Guide posts on Facebook. I love his videos but…
I miss the mountains so very badly. The first place I want to go whenever restrictions are lifted is Chamonix. Yes, I’ll go there as soon as it’s legal.
Yes, that’s right, travel is now illegal. Now that’s a sentence I’d never have written just a year ago. It is currently illegal to travel not only internationally but even to travel outside of your immediate area without a reason meeting ‘essential’ criteria set by the government. Tough new enforcement measures came into effect this week to ensure compliance with international travel rules. Measures include a’ red list’ of more than 30 countries requiring a quarantine package costing £1,750. Anyone attempting to conceal that they have travelled in a ‘red list’ country could face a £10,000 fine and up to 10 years in prison.
It could be a while before I can get back to my beloved mountains, so in the meantime I continue to find my truth and adventures in my stories.