Dear Friends:From the moment we are born, we are programmed with self-limiting beliefs by those around us. And these same persons (who shall remain nameless, even if they, in fact, have names, and even if they may use them on occasion) seldom indulge us in any "possibility thinking." They would have us believe that we are beaten before we even set out to run the race.
One evening in August, many years ago, my friend Brady (who shall not remain nameless) and I were sitting atop a toolshed in his parents' backyard, discussing the idea that we all might possess amazing abilities which we never even discover because nobody tells us that we might actually have them.
Naturally, I immediately thought of the gift of flight. To soar with the eagles! To ride on the wind! To look down at the vast panorama of my old neighborhood from a vantage point in the clear, blue sky! Volare!
Brady immediately picked up on my enthusiasm, and challenged me to "give flight a try". He even dared me. I was far too impetuous (e.g., moronic) to back down. I gauged the height of the toolshed. I filled my lungs with fresh, jasmine-scented evening air. I stood up, straight and tall, back slightly arched, arms at my sides, nose in the air.
I jumped off of the toolshed, into the night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Years later, long after my leg and hip had healed fully, Brady and I revisited that fateful night.
Do we have amazing but underdeveloped powers and abilities? I believe we do.
Living fully demands that we explore ourselves, that we test ourselves, that we use "possibility framing" in every question that we ask of ourselves, about ourselves. Sadly, it also requires some common sense, and an understanding of the Laws Of Physics.
Faithfully,
Douglas Castle
EPILOGUE: Brady ultimately became a political strategist for the "Ralph Nader For President" Committee in the U.S., and eventually had loads of people jumping off of buildings.
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And now, dear Friends (those of you who are still reading), we get to the THOUGHT-PROVOKING UPDATES part of the program. You'll be glad that you decided to stay. I promise. Really. Please try to avoid clicking on the YouTube clip to "CONGO SQUARE" below -- Those ornery-looking fellows capture a genuine New Orleans mood. But once again, don't click, or you'll be tempted to listen. And if you listen...
The new updates are:
DOUGLAS CASTLE: INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS
THE NATIONAL NETWORKER WEBLOG (under construction)
THE CHILDREN'S INTERNATIONAL OBESITY FOUNDATION
and, just for fun, you might wish to click on the ALPHA BETA SLIDESHOW .
Faithfully,
Douglas Castle
