What Are You Thinking?

I suspect that it would be almost impossible to count all of the books that have been written about philosophy, self improvement, religion or success in life.  People have a deep desire to know the secret of reaching their highest potential financially, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, socially and every other aspect of their lives.  Undoubtedly, billions of dollars are spent annually in search of the holy grail.  

Well, breathe easy.  You can get the answer for less than $10.00.  It is a small book published in 1903 by James Allen entitled As a Man Thinketh.  The title is a reference to Proverbs 23:7, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

Normally I don’t include extensive quotes; however, in this post I don’t think I can add much to what Allen presents.  So, here is the essence of life.

“Man is made or unmade by himself.  In the armory of thought he forges the weapon by which he destroys himself.  He also fashions the tools with which he builds himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace.  By the right choice of and true application of thought, man ascends to the divine perfection.  By the abuse and wrong application of thought, he descends below the level of the beast.  Between these two extremes are all the grades of character, and man is their maker and master.”

“A man’s mind may be likened to a garden which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild.  But, whether cultivated or neglected, it will bring forth.  If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of weed seeds will fall  therein and will continue to produce their kind.  Just as a gardener cultivates his plot keeping it free from weeds and growing flowers and fruits he requires, so may a man attend the garden of his mind, weeding out all  the wrong, useless and impure thoughts  and cultivating toward perfection the flowers and fruits of right, useful and pure thoughts.  By pursuing this process, a man sooner or later discovers that he is the master gardener of his soul, the director of his life.  He also reveals within himself the laws of thought and understands with ever increasing accuracy how the  thought forces and mind elements operate in the shaping of his character, circumstances and destiny.”

Once again, we encounter the truth of that fundamental Socratic admonition, “An unexamined life is not worth living.”  What we read, watch, listen to, discuss or think about all contribute to the direction and quality of  our lifelong journey. In Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, author Daniel Amen, a research psychologist, expands on this principle and offers strategies for directing our internal dialogue.  What awaits us is the life-altering realization that we hold the key to much of our future in our ability to mindfully choose how we think and what we think about.

 

  

Never Forget Greenwood

In the early 20th century, the Greenwood freedom district in the suburbs of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was developed into a prosperous area consisting of black professionals, businessmen, community leaders, and educators.  The population was about 10,000 and was so financially vibrant that it was referred to as America’s Black Wall Street.

Until the night of May 31st, 1921, it could have served as a national model for black social advancement, cultural development, and self-reliance.  Instead, that evening a white mob, many of whom had been deputized by the police, invaded the neighborhoods looting and burning the buildings and murdering the residents. They even used airplanes to drop dynamite and incendiary bombs.  By the morning, the residents were either dead or driven away and 35 square blocks of the community were completely destroyed, including houses, businesses, churches, hotels, newspaper offices,  a hospital, public library, and much more. 

The injustice was unconscionable.  It is believed that as many as 300 people were killed, over 1,000 injured and an additional 10,000 were left homeless.  Survivors who were unable to escape were arrested and herded into internment camps.  Bodies were callously thrown into rivers and unmarked or mass graves.  Despite the magnitude of this race massacre, no white perpetrator was ever prosecuted.

The primary motivation for this atrocity is generally attributed to white supremacists’ unwillingness to witness African Americans thriving.  For decades, officials in Tulsa denied that this incident ever occurred.  It took seventy years for the city to acknowledge that a previous administration had engaged in  government-sponsored genocide. 

As deeply troubling as this incident is, the fact that current government leaders want to obstruct the teaching of racial atrocities committed in the United States is deeply disturbing.  It has been said that those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.  With the upsurge of white supremacy  in our current society, we are once again witnessing a renewed suppression of minorities.  We can only hope that we will  never see another Greenwood type devastation in our nation again, but true racial equality remains an elusive aspiration for all who genuinely cherish justice.

This has been one of the hardest posts to write.  I generally try to stay away from political commentary, but this story is so compelling that I have found it impossible to ignore.  I would encourage anyone who is willing to expand their knowledge of racial relations to research this further. I can recommend Don’t Let Them Bury My Story written by Viola Fletcher, the oldest living survivor of the Greenwood race massacre.  Also, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson, details this incident and provides an extensive chronicle of the systematic suppression of African Americans in our nation.

  

Can't Is A 4-letter Word

As I began to compose this post, I wondered if younger readers would be familiar  with this expression.  So, I conducted a brief survey among a few young coworkers, and, as I suspected, they had never heard the term ‘four letter words’.  In our current society with the ubiquitous prevalence of the F-bomb, I was not surprised.

For those who may not know what I am referring to, I will explain. Years ago, it was not socially acceptable for people to use profanity in public.  Men were encouraged to be gentlemen and refrain from cussing in the presence of women.  The prohibited words were collectively referred to as 4-letter words because most of them are in fact four letters in length.  I realize that this propriety may seem quaint and outdated, but there was a time in our nation when people were respectful of the sensibilities of others.  It wasn’t considered being politically correct.  It was simply known as common courtesy.

So, I would like to add “can’t” to that list of words that should not be spoken.  Why?  Because that little word prevents us from reaching our highest potential.  Furthermore, more often than not, it is not true.

Now, I will concede that there are some things that truly can’t be done.  For example, I have always thought that it would be marvelous to be a commercial airline pilot.  When I could see better than I currently do, I loved flying.  There is nothing like taking off on a heavily overcast day and emerging above the clouds to see the sun reflecting off of a puffy field of white as far as the eye can see.  Imagine being paid to do that daily.

Well, in my case, my vision began declining from the age of nine.  I have never even been able to drive a car.  Furthermore, I am 75 years old and well above the age of mandatory retirement for commercial pilots.  So, I really can’t sit in the cockpit of a jumbo jet and fly it around the world.  That is very disappointing but completely understandable.

However, we often say that we can’t do something when what we really mean is that it is very difficult, and we are unwilling or currently unable  to put forth the effort to succeed.  Can’t is a license we issue to ourselves to stop trying.  “I can’t stop smoking,” “I can’t lose weight,” “I can’t control my kids,” “I can’t do math,” “I can’t control my temper,” and so on, are the white flags we wave as we surrender to life’s greatest challenges.

Are the only things in life that are worth doing or having those that come easy?  What if we merely said to ourselves, “Yes, this is extremely hard, but it will be worth the effort or sacrifice when I reach the goal.”  What sports team would ever have a winning season if they only expected to win the games they played against weaker teams?  Who would ever master a difficult and complicated skill if they judged their potential ability by their skill level at the beginning of the task? 

The first step in overcoming “can’t” is taking the time to clearly identify the steps that would be necessary to prevail.  Then, we need to honestly ask ourselves if we are willing  to pay the price.  Years ago, I worked at a Community College and would tell students that the next four years are going to go by no matter what they did.  At the end of that time, they could either say, “I am so glad I made the sacrifice” and have the degree or “I wish I had made the sacrifice” and have no more than they did at the time they were first considering their future.

Typically, I do not procrastinate.  However, I am aware that when I am about to begin a project that may exceed my ability, I tend to drag my feet.  I often find that once I get started and just take it one step at a time, the process is easier than I anticipated and the  outcome is at least acceptable.  (In my mind I often attach an * to my efforts.  It represents, “Not bad for a blind guy.”).

There are times when “can’t” is a legitimate assessment of the situation.  Nevertheless, we must be honest with ourselves when we have merely determined that success requires more than we are willing to invest.  The former will never be overcome.  The latter can be revisited at any time, reconsidered and achieved.  So, use “can’t” sparingly and truthfully.

If you would like to read some inspiring stories of overcoming, I would suggest The Small and The Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History, from the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement, by Sharon McMahon.