WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT: Open Your Mind!

When referring to the term close minded we are generally speaking of issues of social and cultural importance like race or gender identity, etc. However, When You Think About It, it is a way of thinking that can affect our daily lives in the simplest yet most profound ways.

Here's an example that happened to me just the other day.

A friend gave me a Colibri lighter for Christmas. It is a well-made instrument that I use to light my pipe (what I smoke in the pipe is irrelevant to this conversation and, actually no one's business). One of the functions I like best about it is the ability to adjust the intensity of the flame from a mere flicker to a virtual flame thrower.

Well, after having nearly burned my thumb off while using it recently, I figured that I had better adjust the flame before I set my entire body on fire! So, I looked at the base of the lighter where a set screw is located. Turning it one way or the other will either intensify or reduce the flame.

I had used it previously and distinctly remembered that turning the screw to the left decreased the intensity. So, using a small screw driver I began turning it down, i.e. to the left. However, despite turning it ALL the way left I found that the flame had not been reduced one iota. I was flummoxed. I kept turning it the left until no matter how much force I applied, it simply would not turn any further.

Hmmn, I thought to myself. I remember it working just fine for me that way in the past.

Then I had an epiphany. As it so now often happens, maybe my recollection was NOT correct. Perhaps the adjustment called for the screw to be turned to the right.

So, I used my small screwdriver to slowly move the screw in the opposite direction. Sure enough, the flame slowly started to recede to a safe level!

SO SIMPLE!

I had closed my mind to even the possibility that moving the screw in the opposite direction would solve the problem. I had locked into a single way of thinking that would not even allow for a possible solution! Once I entertained the idea that maybe, just maybe, if I tried things another way, the damned thing just might work right, the problem was actually resolved.

FREE your mind - in ALL things.

When it remains closed we will never know what could have been. When it is opened, a whole new world will be revealed.