Friday, November 6, 2015

365 Project - Day 362

"Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
the one who gains understanding.
For wisdom is more profitable than silver,
and her wages are better than gold.
Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
She offers you long life in her right hand,
and riches and honor in her left.
She will guide you down delightful paths;
all her ways are satisfying.
Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
happy are those who hold her tightly."
Proverbs 3:13-17

When I committed to today's project on "thinking," I could not decide how to capture my perspective. Then, we were offered this fantastic evening filled with rambling clouds and bright moonlight. I did not realize it at the time, but I needed to rush to capture the shot I wanted, because the clouds were beginning to clear. Unfortunately, as I folded my tripod, I noticed that I had forgotten to turn off vibration reduction and it was too late to reshoot. The clouds had cleared. If only I had taken the time to think.

It is often easier in life to drift like these clouds, or to follow the crowd, to agree with others, or to do as we are directed, without thinking for ourselves. In fact, we are trained to live life this way. There is little room for academic creativity when we are growing up. We are more often instructed than engaged. There is a right and a wrong way to do everything, right? Children are to be seen and not heard. There's a damaging consequence to this. Those children not taught to think, seek, explore, evaluate and conclude for themselves will follow someone else's path later in life.

We create a unique personal power when we exercise our mind. We must not, therefore, simply rely on answers from others. Ask questions. Seek knowledge. Explore. Take risks. Find opportunities to discern reality. Insist on facts.

Be confused. Be curious. The more advanced thinkers will ask absurd and dangerous questions. Wisdom often comes from poking in these crazy spaces. So, we should dare to discover new worlds and new truths.

Our mind is also a battlefield. It takes less energy to focus on negatives and our mind is perpetually choosing between positive and negative thoughts. When we consciously choose positives, we develop a rhythm or muscle, if you will, that will affirm our lives. As a result, new habits form. To stay in this space we have to clear our environment of negative forces, lest we unwittingly adapt to their rhythm.

The interesting bit is this: the more we think for ourselves, the less likely those negative forces want to hang around us anyway.

Blessings.

Today's Photo: Think



"Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it." Henry Ford



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