both sides, now

I find perspective equally the easiest and toughest of things human minds have to grapple with. Easy because it often doesn’t take much to pause, step into another’s shoes for a moment, and try to see what he sees. Not to explain or justify the other, or convert oneself; but to at least begin to understand. Yet it is often also difficult- as much for our inability to deal with different points of view, as our reluctance to bother with them.

While numerous world situations are- to the world in general- centred on perception and projected realities, nothing ever can give you a dose of reality like perspective. The point here is not about right and wrong, or only about Israel and Gaza, but about the context all of us live our lives in.

The next thought then is, where does context stop and fundamental truth begin? Is there any such thing as a fundamental truth, a universal ethic, a pervasive perspective that is not mired in situation? Are all actions morally relative or is there an absolute understanding that should hold all of us to itself, that we should hold ourselves to?

There are no clear answers…but look, in saying that, I might be beginning to answer some of my questions already.