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Georgia closed her eyes and took a deep breath, reaching for inner peace while frustration, confusion and bewilderment began to embrace her.

She had watched a live broadcast of our president’s speech related to the BP oil disaster. It wasn’t the speech or what he said that left her “embraced” by the “terrible three.” Rather, over a short period of time after the speech, Georgia watched three “news” broadcasts all reporting on the same event: CNN, NBC News and Fox News.

As she watched each report on what she had seen live, they were so different, so misconstrued and “twisted.” She though perhaps the president gave four speeches, the one she saw live – and three “off-camera” as seen and reported by “Dumb, Dumber, Dumbest” news. It’s amazing how a simple group of words can be interpreted, twisted and paraphrased to “fit” a broadcast mentality, truth be damned.

Like mining diamonds in your back yard, the search for truth in a secular world is becoming increasingly more difficult. I’ve reached a personal impasse – I feel trapped, who can I believe?

Is there such a thing as “political truth?” Is anything said by those we’ve placed in office a reflection of truth or is what they tell us their interpretation of the truth that has been distorted to best advance both them and their “financial champions”?

Is there such a thing as “corporate truth?” Is there any truth in advertisement? Does “American-made” reflect pride, craftsmanship and reliability? Is there truth in the phrase “we care about you and your family” or is wealth, power and greed what underlies “corporate truth”?

Is there such a thing as “personal truth?” Is there still truth found in a handshake?” Does “giving one’s word” still carry meaning, ethic and morality? If one “promises” to lift another high, can we still count on their arms surrounding our life to lift us – or is one ignored with the promise unfulfilled?

My Dad taught me this: “Truth is conformity to fact and actuality.” Truth, when it becomes the basic path of life, is indeed a difficult path, strewn with rejection and anger, for truth is not what many want to hear. When one speaks of self, do they speak in terms of what they can and have done, or is truth camouflaged in wishes of what should have or could have been?

There is much now missing in the American way. Family life has been diminished, morality and ethics are oft tossed aside for financial gain, hard work and dedication to cause sidestepped as many embrace a “welfare” mentality.

And perhaps the most telling of all, “truth” is bent to best fit the individual with little concern for conformity to fact and actuality. I’m sorry, I know it’s depressing to be negative, but I have to tell the truth. Truth is, political, corporate and personal truth is most oft not. How sad.