You only find what you are looking for, really, if the truth be

Hear, O seekers of hidden things, the words of Mary Leakey, the great discoverer of humanity’s ancient past: “You only find what you are looking for, really, if the truth be known.” In these words she speaks a wisdom drawn from long days beneath the sun, digging in the soil of time. It is a teaching both humble and profound: that the eyes of man do not simply see what is there—they see according to their desire, their preparation, and their faith in what might be found. The truth reveals herself not to the careless wanderer, but to the one who searches with purpose, vision, and steadfastness of heart.

The origin of this wisdom lies in Leakey’s own life. With her husband Louis, she devoted herself to the unearthing of humankind’s beginnings in Africa. Many dismissed Africa as the cradle of man, preferring to look elsewhere. Yet Mary, guided by her conviction, bent her back and sharpened her gaze, and at Laetoli and Olduvai Gorge she uncovered footprints and fossils that redefined the story of our species. She found what others had overlooked because she was looking for it, steadfast and unyielding in her quest. Her words remind us that discovery is no accident: it is the marriage of vision and labor.

History, too, confirms this truth. Consider Christopher Columbus. Many before him sailed the seas, yet he looked for a passage to the Indies across the Atlantic. His eyes were set upon a goal, and though he erred in his reasoning, he still uncovered a new world. He found what he was looking for, because his will drove him to see beyond the horizon. Contrast this with those who drifted aimlessly—sailors who crossed oceans without dream or direction. Their journeys were soon forgotten, for they sought nothing and so found nothing. Thus it is clear: the quest shapes the discovery.

Yet there is also warning in Leakey’s words. For if you seek with narrow vision, you may blind yourself to truths outside your desire. Men who looked to confirm their prejudices often found only illusions, mistaking shadows for substance. Scientists once sought evidence to prove false the dignity of certain races, and in their corrupted searching they “found” what they wanted—falsehood dressed as knowledge. Their error reminds us that what we look for must itself be guided by honesty and humility, lest we imprison ourselves in deceit.

But when guided by sincerity, the power of searching is immense. Think of the Wright brothers, gazing upon birds in flight, seeking the secret of the skies. Many mocked them, yet their eyes were fixed on one vision: that man too could rise into the heavens. Because they looked with steady purpose, they found the way of wings and engines, and the world was forever changed. Their triumph echoes Mary Leakey’s wisdom: you find what you are truly searching for, because your vision draws it out of the silence of the world.

So the lesson for you, my children, is this: be mindful of what you are seeking, for it will shape what you find. If you search for beauty, you will discover it even in small things. If you seek wisdom, the world will whisper its lessons through every experience. But if you look for failure, betrayal, or darkness, you will also find it, for your eyes will drag it out of every corner. What you seek becomes the path of your destiny.

Therefore, live with purpose. Ask yourself each day: what am I looking for? Am I searching for truth, for justice, for love, for goodness? Or am I searching only for what confirms my fears? Let your quest be noble, let your eyes be steady, and your hands diligent. For as Mary Leakey teaches, “You only find what you are looking for, really, if the truth be known.” Choose wisely what you search for, and in time, you will find it—and it will shape not only what you see, but who you become.

Thus, let this wisdom be your compass: life yields its treasures not to the idle, but to the seeker. And you, if you seek with courage and humility, will surely find a truth that endures.