I suppose you have often heard someone say, when a situation appeared very clear, that it was "black and white". The expression means that things are clearly defined. Black and white I used to know about, but as I get older I find there is a much more important color. That color is gray. I have come to the conclusion that nothing is black-and-white, nothing so clearly defined that there are not shadings on both sides of the line. There will be many who say that if you believe that there is NOTHING clearly defined, then you don't believe ANYTHING. Perhaps that is so, but if it is so, it is a very rewarding thing because it means that you go through life with an open mind. You continually wait for further returns to come in. You close your mind to no line of thought. I suppose every man should reach a point in his life when he should be in a position to sum up to the best of his ability at least some of the things in which he believes, but I am very fearful of those people who arrive at a summing up early in their lives and assume that what they believe is right, and all else is folly. They miss so much by going through life with blinkers. I'd like thinking, talking, investigating and comparing. I love to go against the tide of public opinion, not out of obstinacy or because I do not necessarily agree; I go against the current because I find so much worthwhile thought splashed up in the backwash, thought that would not come to life if everyone agreed. There is a great fight going on for the minds of men. It is important now to teach our children to think. They must not be spoon fed ideas that reflect the thinking of the past generation. They should be, MUST BE encouraged to work out their own conclusions based on investigation, comparison, tall clear thinking and the rubbing and polishing on their brains against those of others. One thing I do believe without qualification… wisdom is only found in truth and truly there is black, there is white, and many, many shades of gray.
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