Creative Notions

Creative Notions

People seem to believe that only a select few can unleash a steady flow of creative genius. That is not true at all. The fact is, creativity is very much like a muscle that needs to be exercised to give out great results consistently. If you don’t practice harnessing creative thinking, this skill will very much atrophy into inexistence. But keep working, and this skill will soon come to you in a snap.

 

So how do you unleash your creative thinking? Well, the first thing is to become a human sponge. No, we’re not talking about just sucking the blood out of every living being available; we’re saying that you should take in as much knowledge and learning you can find. Read everything available — good and bad, and keep your mind open to the infinite possibilities of the universe. The more you know, the more you’ll want to know, and the more your faculty of wonder will be exercised. Prepare to be amazed at little facts that add a bit of color to your life.

What is Important in Life?

 

What is Important in Life?

When we are healthy, we seldom think about what it feels like to be sick. But when we are really and truly ill, all we can think about is being healthy again.

 

No matter how much wealth we accumulate in this world, it is virtually useless without good health. This is tied closely to the knowledge of our mortality. Deep down, we all know that we only have a handful of decades on Earth, and then it’s over.

 

In light of that, what becomes essential then? That is indeed an interesting question. Money cannot be necessary because we can’t take it with us when we die. What is necessary can’t be our possessions because, once again, they are not going with us. Having money and possessions is very temporary. Those things cease to matter to us when we die.

 

Some turn to their relationships when they realize this. They feel that family and friends must be the most crucial thing then. Yet, we will lose contact with family and friends when we pass away.

 

Some people die and then come back. They call this the near-death experience. Many of those people talk about what they saw in the state of death. They also talk about how they feel, which is almost universally excellent. A few reports are going to a terrible place, but most feel good. They are free from the pain and suffering of their mortal bodies.

What is Love, and How Do I Get It?

What is Love, and How Do I Get It?

 

What is love? Everybody uses the word love in daily conversations. There are millions of movies and songs based on love, but do we know what it is?

 

Here are some Greek definitions of love:

 

Eros: romantic love, physical longing, deep intensity, and intimacy. It is drawn to what it finds desirable or beautiful–often knowing no limits and searching without satisfaction through many objects of desire. Often initial love attracts a couple.

 

Philips: characterized by sharing, companionship, and shared values, exemplifies friendship-based and brotherly love. It is more comprehensive and less self-seeking than eros.

 

Storge: family love between parent/child or two incredibly close people. It is instinctive and does not need to be required.

When thoughts become things

 

When thoughts become things

We've all heard the saying that "talk is cheap." We've listened to it so often it's become a cliche. Like most cliches, the law of familiarity has set in and keeps us from actually absorbing the phrase's true meaning. We've grown so tired of hearing it that we don't listen to it anymore. The fact remains that talk is cheap. It is easy to talk about things, and most people do. Most people talk about a great game regularly. However, the difference in people is not in what they say they will do but in what they do.

 

We don't judge people by what they say but rather by what they do. We believe people by their behavior and by their actions. This is because deep down inside, we all know that words have no real power to create anything in themselves. It is only when the words are backed up by action that you have the power to make any actual results. The ironic thing is that although most of us know this, we get caught up in accumulating knowledge. We learn something and get interested in the results we think the information can produce. In pursuing the results, we often confuse it with getting more information, so we accumulate tons of information and knowledge without having the impact we wanted in the first place.

Would you instead fly or be invisible?

 

Would you instead fly or be invisible?

Recently one of my son’s favorite TV stations surveyed children. They asked kids which superpower they would rather have: the ability to fly or invisible?

 

To me, it seemed to be a no-brainer–to fly most definitely!

 

First of all, I think the ability to fly offers a lot more opportunities for fun, adventure, and freedom. Just think about being able to go anywhere, anytime you want, without worrying about traffic, road conditions, or gas money!

 

While being invisible offers a range of opportunities, it seems so sneaky to me that I feel uncomfortable even thinking about it.

 

My son agreed with me. He thought flying would be a lot more fun. There is no surprise there as he is a physical child who enjoys being on the go.

 

Then I started to think about the question. What does our choice say about us? I think I would want to know why a child would choose invisibility over flying. I would fear that a child who decided on that option already felt invisible or wished they were. I would worry about their self-esteem and security in social interactions.

You are Magic

 

You are Magic

Magic (ma-JIC): an extraordinary power or influence seemingly from a supernatural source. The attempt to define magic is difficult at best. It is used more like a word to describe than one that can be determined. The same can be said for who you are. We attempt to define ourselves, yet no adequate comments exist to describe the complexity of who we are. We can explain what we look like, the type of work, our ethnic heritage, or gender. Yet, that comes nowhere near the truth of what animates your being. You are a mystery. You are magic.

 

Historians, philosophers, scientists, and theologians have been searching for the origins and meaning of existence since the beginning of time. Various religions have been born out of an attempt to define the indefinable. We often pursue the endless pursuit to determine who, what, and why. We measure ourselves against others and their accomplishments. Each day, we are deluged with media images of what is acceptable or unacceptable. There is an ongoing quest to explain the unexplainable. You are who you are, and that is ever-changing. You are deliciously indescribable. Each moment you are remade. Every morning when you open your eyes, you begin a new journey. The choices and decisions that you make color and change who you are. You are an indefinable, magical being. Have you forgotten this? Have you allowed the world to take away your magic? Each time you have a thought or task and give it life, you create! From preparing a meal for your family or painting a picture. Everything you do adds a different dimension to who you are. Life is a mystery, and by accepting this fact, you become one with it and more able to maneuver through it.