Stating Simple Truths

WHEN ASKED TO STATE the most amazing truth revealed by science and mathematics, Einstein replied: "compound interest". Anyone who starts a savings account, and keeps track of it, can attest. Einstein responded to another question by saying that he, to his knowledge, had contributed no more than two original thoughts during his lifetime. He also said that "I have no special talent. I am merely extremely curious." Humble man, that Einstein. This agrees with Goethe, who said: "all the great thoughts have long since been thought. What remains is to think them anew." Richard Feynman expressed his belief that the most important finding of modern science is that the world is made up of atoms. Presumably, he meant no disrespect to Democritus, who made the same assertion a couple thousand years ago. Feynman further articulated that the universe is constructed symmetrically, a notion he believed constituted the second most important scientific truth. Buddhism begins with "mind foreruns all conditions", and Christianity begins with : "do unto others, that which you would have others do unto you." Thus we see a pattern emerging. The essence of truth is purity in simplicity. Black lives matter. All lives matter, reply the European-Americans. What we must not miss here is the simple truth that no African-American in his or her right mind would dispute that all lives matter, but they might, with all due respect, wish to point out that white lives have almost always mattered, but that black lives have not, until quite recently, and therefore it serves a higher purpose to bring special attention to the value of people "of color". Sometimes, even simple truths can get lost in the shuffle.