“If you want the truth, ask a child. If you want reassurance, ask an adult.”
— The Sage
The Sage has always admired the fearless honesty of children. They have not yet learned the delicate social art of softening their words or disguising their thoughts. To a child, truth is not a weapon or a burden — it is simply the natural shape of things, spoken aloud without hesitation. Their clarity, The Sage suggests, comes from seeing the world without the layers of expectation adults accumulate over time.
Adults, however, often trade that clarity for comfort. They’ve learned to cushion their answers, to offer reassurance instead of reality, to prioritise feelings over facts. There is wisdom in this too — a softer, more empathetic wisdom. But The Sage reminds us that it is not the same as truth, nor should we expect it to be.
His point is not to elevate one above the other, but to recognise what each offers: children give us truth, even when it stings; adults give us reassurance, even when it bends. Understanding the difference, he says, is a small but powerful kind of wisdom — one that helps us choose the voice we truly need to hear.
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The Sage Page 