Experience is such an honest thing

What I like about experience is that it is such an honest thing. You may take any number of wrong turnings; but keep your eyes open and you will not be allowed to go very far before the warning signs appear. You may have deceived yourself, but experience is not trying to deceive you. The universe rings true wherever you fairly test it.

C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy

This makes me think of young Russell in Up who says, "I didn't expect the wilderness to be so ... wild!" Theory is fine but until you get out there and live some you don't know what is real or honest.