Story: Owl II

Let’s continue the story of Owl (article 79), the candidate who would not scream “incompetent.” He found a need and filled it (article 56). How did he do it? He gathered private financing for services the government did not provide. More significantly, however, he contributed a mind fixed on realizing what could be. Outlook makes the difference. PMA (positive mental attitude) accepts challenges as opportunities for growth.

 In article 32 I refused to watch news reports of burning buildings because the watching serves no useful purpose. Next, article 33 stated, “we do not climb up by looking down. Our minds and muscles carry us where we fix our gaze. If this is self-evident, why are people bound for heaven (up) preoccupied with sin (down)? Sin-bashing is mental pollution.” Let us focus on where we are actually going.

Challenge

Do you live in a beautiful country? Your answer tells me all about you through the lens of what you observe. The eye of the beholder is a subjective filter. How you share your viewpoint shows me your mental state.

Article 12 teaches that you are the light by which you perceive your surroundings, and article 19 points us directly at beauty (see the rose, not the thorn). Article 78 laughs at asking for support by announcing “I am going to fight you.” Although businesses and churches create pain points to make their products necessary, I am not going to allow you to trash our country as a sales pitch for your political platform.

Study Owl again. His opening line is “I can make you look good.” Now say that to your country!

Involve me

If you answer me with a complaint about how bad the government, country, or world is, I will work for you to be healed; I will not come to where your mind resides. This declaration reflects Jack Canfield’s position that requires listeners to take 100% responsibility for their outcomes. I spend time with those whose outcomes will be positive.

dream world almost coincides with my real-world setting because I can see the bridge into the world of sharing (end of article 73). We make our own worlds, individually and collectively. Individually, we fashion how we perceive our places in the world and what we do there. Collectively, we inhabit one shared environment that lives or dies with all of us aboard. The collective nature of survival motivates us to survive together. We depend on other humans. Our PMA is to interdepend kindly.

Article 68 quotes the sage who said that you are what you think about when you do not have to think. We should and do think. What you think is the world you are creating. Playing success coach, I won’t allow you to think pessimism. That’s not the right world to create.

What to think

Now that we are united being optimistic, consider the string of articles celebrating diversity and disagreement. Without that tolerance, we land in the “fight” language prison. On the other hand, with love and forbearance, we are crafting the new world. We realize improved worlds using our perception. This is intentional double meaning consistent with the dictionary: To “realize” a renewed world is first “to become aware” of it; and following that, to “achieve” it.

This aligns with my reference in article 33 to Dr. Benjamin Hardy’s proposal that we measure ourselves by our futures, not our pasts. PMA is identifying as the better versions of ourselves that we are becoming. We learn from the past and evaluate present needs, but the aim of political thought is improving the future. I ask for those thoughts to be favorable.

When our discussions look to the future, we can tone down our rhetoric. What you fear in my proposals hasn’t happened yet, so we still have time to work out details. It is frustrating to spend time getting everyone aboard the progress train but doing so is more effective than letting the train pull into the destination empty. We are inviting people aboard when we show them the kindness of our future world.

The principle: look!

During negative speech about a person, party, or government I am not listening. I perk up when you talk to me about what you are doing to improve any of those. Do you see the difference? Either way it appears that the object is not perfect. The first view is fault, the second is action—the kind that contributes. It is my joy to listen to your contribution. That is how you attain happiness (and a renewed world).

Photo by JEREMYHANN from Pexels

Audio file

Cover email: Patriotism: Loyalty to the future

Of course we live in a beautiful country! That is the future we are building. The country is a happy place because you are in it, right? It won’t come about any other way. Think of all the friends you are helping—the ones who surround you because they are happy in your presence. With friends like that, who can have enemies? For the school patrons, I hope there is some emotion in my reading voice.