This week I will continue to share with you the power of thought. Let us see a few examples.
A successful farmer in Portland, Oregon, told me his secret of success through the choice of two seeds. There were two seeds lying side by side in fertile soil. The first seed said: “I want to grow my roots deep into the earth so that I can be strong and tall by its thrust, I want to feel the warmth of the sun and dew on my leaves, and I want to blossom to bring pleasure to people passing me by.” So, the first seed grew tall and blossomed beautifully. The second seed said; “I cannot grow deep and take the risk of dark and dangerous creatures; I do not want to be tall and grow blossom to please others because people might pick my flowers and cause me pain. The warmth of the sun might be too powerful to take away my moisture. NO, I will not grow." Indeed, the second seed did not grow at all; and a hen resting in the shade beneath the first plant found the second seed and ate it.
Positive thought helps the first seed grow well, whereas the negativity of the second seed costs it its life. Are we all seeds and hens in this life? As the first seed shows with its positivity, everyone can easily live in the present moment by accepting fate and enjoying a happy life with shade to rest in as needed. A negative person will always be sad with fear for every aspect of life, eventually swallowed by bitterness or death before experiencing true life. The first seed knows the power of thought and masters the infinite happiness. The second seed buries itself without trying due to its negative manifestation of the uncertainty of the unknown future.
We are living in a world with time and space. Time is the most valuable asset of all. There is no time to waste with negativity, because time is the only thing we cannot repurchase once we have lost it. We should use our time wisely, effectively, and positively to make every second count to live a happy life since nobody knows whether tomorrow will be there, waiting for us. Everyone needs to learn a positive way of thinking; this does not happen overnight. Would you please give yourself some time to learn something new and to explore more possibilities without giving up hope too fast? You can always pick one exciting thing to do without overwhelming yourself when you have a long list of essential chores. You will be much happier focusing on something you are grateful for right now instead of putting all your attention on those things that are bothering you the most.
A lady worked for a wealthy family who lived on the top of a hill. She walked down the hill to collect water from the stream every day; she used her shoulders to carry two pots hung on a pole. One day, she realized one of the pots had a slim crack along its side, but she continued to use the pot. Day after day, she filled the pots to the brim, walked back up the hill with one pot full and the other cracked pot only half full. The cracked pot felt sad and embarrassed, while the other pot was proud and content. "I am ashamed and useless," said the cracked pot to the lady. The lady replied with a smile; "Look around the path as we pass tomorrow; you will see beautiful flowers blossoming on your side of the trail up the hill while the other side is still dry and barren. After noticing your small crack, I take advantage of it to water the plants along the path," she added. The problem which the cracked pot thought to be the flaw, was a blessing for the flowers. All humans are unique with weaknesses and strengths that make the world around us more interesting with interwoven layers of joy, challenge, happiness, achievement, and satisfaction.
Let's review the story about Thomas Edison. His factory in New Jersey was destroyed by fire in 1914. Edison lost his life work in smoke and flames in that fire. His son, Charles Edison, was so surprised when he found his father standing by the burning site calmly, watching the fire burning and with a glowing reflection on his face. "There is always great value in any disaster because our mistakes are gone. Thank God that we can start all over again," Edison told Charles after the fire. Guess what happened? Thomas Edison invented the phonograph just three weeks after that accident.
From these examples, we have learned that happiness is the choice you make for yourself. There is nothing to be stressed about in life as long as you are grateful and you do your best to achieve more. Negativity destroys your inner power to be creative and productive, whilst positivity encourages you to go the extra mile to be excellent and outstanding. Never let go of your will to achieve, your burning desire to succeed, and the power of positivity to reach your full potential. Remember, you hold the key to unlock your own happiness and life achievement. Sometimes, you have to fail first to know how courageous you can become in this precious life.