Guest Column: Finding Meaning

0
1103

14th Century Tips on Finding Truth

By Skip Hellewell

I had our high school-age grandchildren’s full attention when I asked this question: In school, how do you distinguish between being taught ‘what to think’ rather than the higher art of ‘how to think’? Math, I explained, is a means of finding truth using numbers. But how do you discern truth in the words of other classes? Calculus may seem hard, but it’s child’s play compared to verbal truth deduction. And as for that, how do any of us pluck truth from the daily barrage of what might be termed ‘modern mythology’?

The short answer is we can’t, at least not by reason alone. The art of logical reasoning is helpful in many situations, especially with the firmer deductive arm, but it gets squishy with non-deductive reasoning. Consider how the various schools of philosophy, with very smart people, never reach consensus. Sorting truth from myth is tricky.

This came to mind the other night when unable to sleep, I picked up “Powers and Thrones, A New History of the Middle Ages” and read about the 14th-century scholar-poet Petrarch. Petrarch roamed European monasteries and libraries for lost knowledge from the Roman and Greek Empires. He also introduced the term “Dark Ages” and foretold the Renaissance, in which increased literacy led to the printing press, which informed the religious search for truth we know as the Reformation, which led to the rise of Democracy.

Have you ever had the experience, perhaps on a long walk, or even pondering at home in your favorite chair, of falling into a reverie of introspection where a muddled world becomes clear and new ideas come to mind? Petrarch had this experience as a young man climbing Mont Ventoux with his brother. Living in Provence near the French Alps, Petrarch and his brother climbed the mountain to see the world beyond. It was a difficult climb but Petrarch, deep in thought, experienced it as a religious revelation, learning that what people seek from ‘without’ could be found ‘within’ through meditation. It’s a deep thought.

Our churches recently observed Holy Week, including the Last Supper where Jesus introduced the sacrament of bread and wine and taught the great commandment of loving one another. Jesus, knowing He must leave His disciples, promised the Holy Spirit would come as a comforter and teacher, a means to know truth. The Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples at Peter’s Day of Pentecost sermon, a viral moment in the rise of Christianity. It’s available to all who humbly seek it.

A recent “Finding Meaning” column told of two Laguna men, Alan Caserio and Larry Black, completing the 2650-mile Pacific Crest Trail hike in the Sierra Nevada mountains. They did it in segments but there was perhaps a thousand hours of thoughtful meditation while trudging along. Not unlike Petrarch, Caserio later thought it “a spiritual experience.” Surfers in the ocean, especially at the rising or setting of the sun, similarly report such inspiration. A cyclist shared a story of revelation while pondering the miles away on long rides. He thought the increased flow of blood to the brain helped, though the Holy Spirit is available to all who seek it.

We live in a time of increasing confusion, not unlike Peter at the dawn of Christianity, Petrarch at the end of the Dark Ages, or any modern student learning how to discern truth. We can take faith in the power of the Holy Spirit to teach truth by making time for meditation, whether hiking, cycling, surfing, or in a comfy chair. There’s meaning in that.

Skip fell in love with Laguna on a ‘50s surfing trip. He’s a student of Laguna history and the author of “Loving Laguna: A Local’s Guide to Laguna Beach.”  Email: [email protected]

Share this:

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here