Seven years ago, my family and I traveled to Burlington, Vermont. During the visit I was
introduced to the concept of a “Witch Window.” A witch window is turned sideways and placed at
a forty-five degree angle in a farmhouse’s gable-end wall. According to legend, these slanted
windows acquired their name because of a belief that witches can’t fly their broomsticks through
tilted windows. (Who could have guessed that witches are geometrically challenged?)

     Well, these crooked windows remind me of Emily Dickinson’s poem, “Tell All the Truth,
but Tell It Slant.” Dickinson believed in telling the whole truth but doing so in a way that the
hearer isn’t overwhelmed. Her rationale is that human beings are imperfect creatures, and the
truth is so pure, it can be received only in smaller doses.

     Paul described the matter this way. “We see in a mirror dimly.” In other words, our
capacity to understand the truth necessitates a moderated approach.

     Contrary to Jack Nicholson’s memorable line in the 1992 film, A Few Good Men, people can
handle the truth. They just need it broken into digestible portions. But, practically speaking, what
does telling it slant look like?

     Let’s say a young couple seeks my pastoral counsel regarding the appropriateness of living
together in lieu of marriage. Were I to give a straightforward response condemning the idea, my
hunch is the message would fall on deaf ears. (I am speaking from experience.) However, if I were
to say, “Let me tell you about another couple who asked the same question.”

     “They lived together for four years. Then the man was mortally injured in an automobile
accident. His companion was not legally able to participate in the discussions the family had with
the medical staff. She was shut out completely and left to grieve alone.”  The sad truth is that a
limited commitment to a relationship warrants limited authority.

     Some may view this slanted approach a means of tip toeing around the truth. I don’t think
so. I believe that telling it slant offers the greatest opportunity for the truth to be understood and
eventually accepted.

     So, whenever you find yourself driving through Vermont, be not alarmed when you catch
sight of a witches window. Instead, be emboldened to let the light of truth shine through you
sideways. Just be sure to leave your broom in the car.