Quotes: Imagination and Thinking

“Everything you can imagine is real.” ~Pablo Picasso

“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” ~Albert Einstein

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!” ~Dr. Seuss

The Sky's the Limit

When I used to think of discipline, it brought up feelings of dread, of punishment. I think most will agree those are also their first thoughts. If we look a little deeper into the definitions in Webster’s we find:
Discipline: self-command, self-control, self-discipline, self-government, self-mastery, self-restraint, willpower.
Notice how many times ‘self’ is used? So discipline then is something that we can have control over, and when we have control over something, that is a very good thing, if we make the very best use of that control.

Discipline, I have come to believe is the master key to what we wish to gain, become and accomplish with our lives.
So what can we do, be, have? Are there limits?

It was a mostly clear day, just a few scattered clouds in the mid-west sky. Chris had never been to this community before. His job had brought him here, and he had to work on Saturday! As he peered out of his office window he noticed a railroad yard. Chris had always loved trains. Perhaps tomorrow before work, (yes, he had to work on Sunday too) he could drive down and check out the rail yards.
And that is where I met Chris.
It turned out this young man was the embodiment of self discipline.

Now here is a guy hundreds of miles from home, in a place he would never have been, had his work not taken him there, and he was working weekends. So how do I figure him to be one of the most disciplined people I may ever meet?
You see when Chris caught sight of our rail yard that Saturday afternoon he was mere feet from his co-workers, but four hundred feet above the city, traveling about 300 miles an hour in his F/A 18 Hornet. Just moments before they had been pulling a little over 7 G’s as they performed as a part of the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, The Blue Angels!
We spent almost an hour together, talking railroad and (whenever I could get him to stop talking about trains) flying.
What type of self-discipline do you suppose it takes to become one of the nation’s élite pilots?
Were there days when he wanted to quit, times that he was afraid, that it all seemed just too hard?
My guess is yes. But Chris persevered, he did not quit and his self-mastery has taken him to places he would never have gone to meet people (me) he would never have met. The discipline he has employed over the years now pays him dividends beyond what he could have imagined and memories to last, a lifetime. And most important of all is, who he has become, because of all he was willing to do.
So are the struggles worth the effort?
I only spent an hour with Chris, but I’m certain he would smile and say,
‘Yes sir. The sky’s the limit.’



Be safe, Major Collins.
And thank you for your service.


http://www.blueangels.navy.mil/

Our Deepest Fear

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." ~ Marianne Williamson
The above is a quote by Marianne Williamson from a movie called 'Akeelah and the Bee'.

"And as we let our own light shine.....as we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others."

Each of us possess unique talents and abilities, solitary expressions of our individual life experience and personality from which others may draw to live fuller, richer lives. Your gift is yours alone to give. No other human has what you have to share.

"Your playing small does not serve the world..."

We are each meant to light an others way...
Whose life will change because of your influence, whom may you liberate with your courage?
Be bold, shine on.

mj

Which Comes First...?

The question was: Do your thoughts create your beliefs, or do your beliefs create your thoughts? (See the post 'Your Opine, Please.' just below.)
I shall now attempt to give you my thoughts…beliefs…oh boy here we go! These are merely my viewpoints. Each individuals view on this will be influenced and shaded by personal life experience, environment and association. Therefore I suppose (glad I didn’t say think?) each answer is as special and unique as the person themselves. There never has and never will be another exactly like you! So my answer may not run in the general vein as most of the replies and that is just as it should be….each with his / her own opine.
Perhaps the best way to provide my answer is with a few more questions. Are you up for that?
· Can you believe something without thinking about it?
· How strong could an unthinking belief be?
· From where would we acquire such a belief?
· Can you think something without believing it?
It seems to me that you can have a thought without believing it, but can you really have a belief without thinking about it.
You may think about what you believe, but do you believe every thought?
It is my submission that, as adults, we have to think about something before it becomes a belief. As children our beliefs were instilled, in us, by parents, teachers, preachers and others that were a part of our development. And that guidance is essential to our growth. As thinking adults however we should begin to ask ourselves questions about the beliefs we hold and do we really believe them or are they there by default.
Many of the things of which I was quite certain (beliefs), as a youth, have developed and grown (after personally thinking about them) to support new ideas and philosophies (i.e.: beliefs). I have not abandoned all the teachings of my childhood rather; I have strengthened some and replaced others with more appropriate thoughts and thus beliefs.
So I question again, can you believe something before you think about it? How confident would you be in a belief about which you had not personally contemplated.
Let’s take this exercise for an example.
Are you thinking about your belief…Which comes first?
Well, I hope this has been fun for you. It has been great fun for me.
And now that this reply is complete…
I think I’ll catch a ride with Dee. And you can believe that.

Your opine, Please.

I have for you, this evening, a question.
I love good questions, don't you?
I think ( oh! a clue to the question already ) I think this is a really good question. One with potential for debate of what you believe (yet another clue?).
Hopefully you will feel inclined to take part in this just for fun, while learning, project.
No answer will be considered wrong. Can't say I will brand any right, either.
Just a terrific opportunity to get your thinker thinking. We really do very little true thinking, you know...or at least that's what I think.
Earl Nightingale thought so too.
" Most people, if they said what they were thinking, would be speechless"; that's what Earl said.
So enough blaa blaa, here's your question.
Do your thoughts create your beliefs, or do your beliefs create your thoughts?
That's it.
So, what do you think and believe, or believe and think?
Perhaps you are thinking...He's really lost it this time, and that's OK.
Believe or think what you will.
I eagerly await your speculation and pontification.
I think ( there I go again ) believe this should be really fun.
So have fun!!
Post your answer in the comment/reply section below.
And as always, sincerely, thanks for reading and now playing along.