Sometimes, surely, truth is closer to imagination or to

Ah, listen, O seekers of wisdom, for in the words of Shirley Hazzard there is a truth that cuts through the surface of things and beckons us to look deeper: “Sometimes, surely, truth is closer to imagination or to intelligence, to love than to fact? To be accurate is not to be right.” These words speak to the very nature of truth — not as something fixed and cold, but as a living, breathing force that resides in the heart of experience, in the depths of the human spirit, and in the realm of the unseen. They remind us that truth is not always a matter of cold fact, but a matter of perception, of connection, of the soul’s wisdom.

The ancients understood this well. Socrates, in his wisdom, did not seek mere facts — he sought truth. To him, truth was not found in the simple answers or in the certainty of facts; it was found in the questions we asked and the journeys we took to understand the world and ourselves. In the great philosophical dialogues, Socrates engages with others not to assert cold, hard facts, but to provoke them to see the world through the lens of the imagination and the spirit. True knowledge, as he taught, arises not from rigid accuracy, but from the soul’s search for meaning, for connection, for understanding. Hazzard's words echo this ancient wisdom: truth is not always in the facts, but in the deeper insight that lies beyond them.

Imagination, intelligence, and love — these are the true vessels through which truth often flows. The great artists and poets of history knew this. Think of William Shakespeare, whose plays, though rooted in human experience, transcended the mere facts of life to uncover profound truths about the heart and soul. In Hamlet, the prince’s struggle is not simply about the facts of his father’s death; it is about the imagination of a world filled with doubt, revenge, and morality. The truth of Hamlet’s journey is not found in a cold recounting of events, but in the emotional landscape he navigates. To be accurate in the telling of Hamlet’s tale is not to be right in capturing its true essence; the essence lies in the human experience of it.

Let us look to history itself. Napoleon Bonaparte, that towering figure, was both a product of his time and a man shaped by his own vision. His rise to power was driven not by mere facts but by a burning imagination of what could be. His genius was not in his precise calculation of the terrain or the battle plans, but in his ability to see the bigger picture, to imagine a new world, and to love the idea of it so deeply that it propelled him forward. In his imagination, Napoleon saw a future where France would dominate Europe, a vision that was not based on simple facts, but on his own profound understanding of the human condition, of leadership, and of destiny.

This lesson is not confined to the greats of history, for it applies to all of us. Hazzard’s insight reminds us that in our own lives, we must not confuse accuracy with truth. Too often, we become obsessed with being correct, with adhering to the facts, when the deeper truths of life lie in the nuances that cannot be measured. Truth does not reside only in the world of the observable. It is found in the realm of the imagination, in the quiet stirrings of the heart, in the tender threads of love that bind us to each other. To be right is not always the same as being true. In our relationships, in our pursuits, and in our endeavors, we must seek the truth that transcends the facts, the truth that speaks to the heart, to the soul, to the deeper connection between all things.

Hazzard’s words encourage us to move beyond the constraints of facts and to embrace the deeper, more fluid nature of truth. When we are faced with a choice, a problem, or a conflict, it is not always the facts that offer the clearest path forward. It is the imagination to see possibilities, the intelligence to discern deeper meanings, and the love to embrace the unseen bonds that guide us. In the great challenges of life, whether in love, in work, or in personal growth, let us remember that truth is not simply the sum of accurate facts. It is the vision of what could be, the understanding of what is, and the connection to what lies beneath.

So, O children of the earth, take this wisdom with you as you walk your path: Do not become bound by the narrow confines of facts. Seek the deeper truth that lies beyond them. Let your imagination guide you, your intelligence enlighten you, and your love carry you. Truth is not always in the facts, but in the wisdom that arises from the union of these forces. To be accurate is not always to be right; to be right is to understand the truth that lies beyond the observable, in the realm of the soul and the heart. Let that be your guide.