+ "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." -- Jesus

+ "Only the truth of who you are, if realized, will set you free." - Eckhart Tolle

+ "If you love the truth, you'll trust it - that is, you will expect it to be good, beautiful, perfect, orderly, etc., in the long run, not necessarily in the short run." -- Abraham Maslow

+ "There are three truths: my truth, your truth and the truth." -- Chinese Proverb

+ "The spirit of liberty is the spirit of not being too sure you are right." -- Learned Hand

+ "When souls meet each other, what truth they can exchange! It is uttered in silence, yet always surely reaches its goal." -- Hazrat Inayat Khan

+ "Then there is the listening at the gates of the heart which has been closed for so long, and waiting for that mysterious inner voice to speak. When we hear it, we know it is the truth to which we must now surrender our lives.: -- Beth Ferris quoted in Finding What You Didn't Lose by John Fox

Truth is not something we can ever grasp. It is elusive. We must seek it anew in every moment. We must be open to the realization that yesterday's truths may not be the truth for now.

One of the frustrating things about organized religion is that it so often misses that point. The sages of the ages are all aware of this elusiveness. They teach it. They preach it. They feel it. They know it.

Keeping this in mind, nevertheless, we need to proclaim the truth and live the truth as we have come to perceive it. I would not write this book if I didn't believe I have truths to offer. But I know it is all provisional, a work in progress.

I believe deep in my heart that stillness is the key that unlocks the door to heaven. That's the truth as I perceive it. There are days that I doubt it, that I doubt a lot of what I am writing in this book. It's hard to say that. I wish I didn't have to but I do.

So, only listen to me if what I say rings true for you. You need to find, or create, your own truth. My truth and your truth will never be exactly the same. Viva la difference. Variety is the spice of life.

The truth is: we know very little. We think we know a lot but we don't. We have a long way to go in figuring out how to bring heaven to earth. We are called to do that but we don't know how. We tend to be suspicious, and rightly so, of people who say they do know.

However, it is important to remember that many heavenly attributes are here on earth. We have a long way to go but we have also come a long way. And that's the truth.

What do you think? This would be a good time for you to reflect on your truths, your beliefs, your values, your ideals, your concern for humanity, for the environment, for all creatures. Take time to write a paragraph or 2, a page or 2 or more. The world desperately needs your truth, your story, your beauty, your enthusiasm, your compassion. Don't hold back. Tell your story. Share your story. Let the truth be known. Let the world behold truth as they see it in you. The world needs you. And that's the truth.