Half-Truths

“There can be no story without the balance of the antagonist.” ~ Antjie Krog, Country of my Skull

I have been reading about truth, reconciliation, forgiveness, and memory as I prepare for my trip to South Africa. The stories that emerge are painful ones of incredible violence. At the same time, as I said in class last night, I cannot help but think truth has more than one story to tell and today Krog stated the same thought in the above quote.

A friend of mine was an interpreter for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees’ investigation into the Rwandan genocide. Originally hired by one side, when the funds ran out, he became available and the other side snatched him up. A survivor himself, he was able to hear both sides of the “truth” and found himself bewildered. How could both perspectives hold such different facets and yet be true?

Even in our own personal lives when we argue with people, we cannot see past our own interpretation of the precipitating event to see that the antagonist might have a different understanding of what happened. How can there be one truth when there is more than one person involved? We know our own truth, but we may not have the full story so do we indeed have a true story or is it only a half story?

I have so much to ponder these days as I prepare.

Peace,

Suzanne