Is TRUTH always contrary to appearances?

No. When something is being the best it can be, it is living its truth.

Also--"the truth" is as much an attitude, or a way of understanding appearances, as it is a state which is different from appearances. For example, there's an event--say, your car breaks down. To believe in the world of appearances, you would judge this as an unfortunate, troublesome occurance. To believe in the truth, you would withhold judgment, knowing that even if you don't know why, there is a reason for the event which is for your highest good. The outer event is the same--the car breaks down in both cases. But the interpretation changes.

Ilana