Random Thoughts on Looking Down
By Roger L. Whiting
What a startling title - Random Thoughts on Looking Down! I always was taught to look up, to be optimistic, to see the "bright side" of life. So why look down? The answer for me is simple. "Looking down" doesn't mean that I necessarily see the negative side of things. It means that I have come to the realization that I can, and should look deeper, and think deeper - to search beyond the obvious.
Many in the world think that the future of the universe lies within the computer. They are absolutely correct, although not in the way they believe. Those that think so are negating the magnificent power of themselves as thinking, capable human beings. There is no more powerful computer than that which exists within ourselves. A computer is a machine that requires an operator. The human mind is both the operator and the creator of thoughts and ideas.
We all have that kind of ability, but sometimes we don't recognize that the finest computer in the world lies between our ears. Sure we get "error" messages once in a while. But yet, most of the time we function pretty well at remembering appointments, anniversaries and birthdays of our loved ones. We can analyze situations and offer advice based on our previous education, training, and life experiences. We can set goals based on our own personal ambitions, make plans for the future, raise our children, and remember to water the lawn after we have called Aunt Edith. Our brains tell us when we are hungry, when we are hurting, and when we need sleep. Amazing, isn't it?
Recently I have had the occasion to reflect on the difference between being alive, and really living. I am now aware that there is quite a distinction between the two. On the one hand your heart beats - on the other, your mind beats. At the "alive" level you wake up and check the paper to see if you are listed on the obituary page. At the "living" level you bound out of bed with a mind full of plans and ideas for the day - things to do, people to see or call, ideas to pursue, and letters to write. It's too bad that most of us don't write letters anymore. There is such a neat personal aspect to letters.
While recently taking a graduate course in Human Resource Management, it occurred to me how little attention our educational system pays to Personal Resource Management. We are taught how to manage other's lives, but precious little about how to manage our own! It is assumed that we are all in control of our own destinies - to a great extent that is true. But, other than what our parents teach us, usually by example, where do we go for self-direction?
The common solution given by others is to, "grow up," "get a grip on yourself," "take control of your life." Sometimes easier said than done. So just how do we take command of our own destinies? For me personally, it has been to find a cause and purpose so strongly imbedded in my mind and soul that there is little room for most of the ever-present daily trivia. So what if we have a blizzard, and my Sunday newspaper doesn't arrive until the next day? My furnace was running, I had food in the house, and I had nowhere I needed to go. Turning that day into a positive, I quickly realized that this wonderful, beautiful, snowy Sunday was a great opportunity to take a step backout of my hectic routine, and just enjoy life - watch the snow fall, watch the birds at the feeders, relax, and understand that there is a greater purpose to life than just me.
In a 1998 Commencement Address at MIT, Kurt Vonnegut said:
"Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements. Stretch. Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't. Get plenty of calcium."
It was a very humorous speech. At the same time, it was filled with wisdom seldom found within one person.
Perhaps the real key to living is to stretch our own personal capacities to the limit - to push ourselves - not to the point of a coronary, but to the ultimate extent of our realistic capabilities. We are all different. We all have different capacities. But, I am now also convinced that we each have an untapped segment of our being that is a reservoir of ability and potential. Someone once said, "many of us die with the music still inside."
It is only recently that I have dug down deep into my own heretofore ignored mental and spiritual capacity to do something beyond what was expected of me by others. I'm beginning to understand that my capacity is only limited by my willingness to understand! If I refuse to grasp a concept, or idea, or philosophy, then I'm dead in the water. If I personally struggle to absorb new concepts and thoughts, I am much better equipped to make life judgments and decisions. Best of all, I am free to do any darn thing I please as long as it is a positive action. That's pretty neat!
Alive or Living? That's what it's all about. I personally don't think it matters so much regarding someone's accomplishments. What is personally significant is what an individual tries to accomplish, for therein lies the true vision and acceptance of man's purpose and destiny. Just think of the potential of humanity if each one of us strived toward a goal never before thought to be within reach. There would be failures to be sure. But, there would also be successes beyond our wildest imaginations. There have been many visionaries in the past, to be sure. But, just imagine the impact on the world if all of us expanded our true potential by looking a little deeper.
That's just what Growth Through Learning is trying to do - expand the true potential by providing educational opportunities for the young women and girls of East Africa. As Kurt Vonnegut said, "stretch!"
Last modified: Jun 10, 2003, 18:48 EDT