Although I have not seen the "Furious" film that features the late Paul Walker, I would guess that its box office success may be partially due to interest in how modern technology makes several stand-ins appear to be Walker himself.

Recently I've been hearing about doctors' house calls using long-distance imaging to treat patients.

During Holy Week, we were reminded of the crucifixion death that resulted in the resurrection morning.

My weeping cherry tree, which had almost received a cut-down decision when its leaves turned brown well before fall and even had a couple of dead branches, surprised us with a beautiful display of pink blossoms this spring.

All of those are examples of the fact that some things are not exactly what we think them to be.

In fact, in the film world of movies and television, we accept a "virtual world" as commonplace.

As the early 19th century English author Coleridge observed: "The willing suspension of disbelief" is not at all unusual.

We are not even sure when bright smiles on the faces of friends actually denote happiness.

I can remember, as child of the Great Depression, hearing my mother banging away on an old upright piano and singing a then-popular song: "I'm only painting the clouds with sunshine."

And I find myself thinking those same words on numerous occasions.

Yet we also learn that videos and pictures often reveal truths which otherwise might not be known.

And we realize, that without imagination, we would not enjoy much of literature, or of today's television offerings.

So what or whom should we trust?

I turn to the words on one of my wall plaques, a quotation from Philippians.

Although we can't always know "whatsoever things are true or whatsoever things are honest," we may be able to heed the following advice: "Whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,....are lovely,....of good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Now, if we can only sort out those things from the plethora of words and images that swirl about us, we will be on solid ground.

Also, we can close our eyes, even if not our noses, to the pollen and enjoy the beauty of azaleas and dogwood.

Helen Taylor's column appears periodically in the Dawson Community News.