When I was young I thought understanding meant
Learning scientific principles, my time was spent
In pouring over subatomic particles, DNA, RNA and such
Newton’s laws and Einstein’s theories attracted me much
I thought the world around me I could understand
By understanding physical objects and the lay of the land..
I viewed the world in black-and-white
The answer was either wrong or right
Even when history books I read
Those words were gospel truths in my head..
That theories could be based on biased views
Did not even occur to me, there was only one answer to choose…
**
As I have grown older I have realized
There is more to learning than meets the eye
There is subjectivity in interpretation
I have understood, to my consternation
Biases taint scientific literature too
(The pandemic has by now shown this to be true)
The most valuable lessons I have learnt
After many years of getting burnt-
To imbibe everything with a grain of salt
To recognize bias without trying to find fault
To acknowledge that my world view
Does not have to resonate with others too
To try to listen to the other side too
To look for original sources to find what is true
To recognize that despite all efforts to delineate
The actual truth, it may be impossible to isolate
Fact from fiction, because reality is what one perceives
Different for someone with a different set of beliefs..
*
When the burden of comprehension overwhelming becomes
I take refuge in submitting to the Higher One
I clear my mind before trying to figure out
What the universe is really about
Passion...unbridled 