FIRST IMPRESSIONS

There are occasions when we have a feeling or an opinion about something.  We may think that, just off the top of our head, something seems unfair.  Take the example of parking spaces.  You see someone who gets out of a car in a handicapped parking space who appears perfectly normal. You wonder or have an impression or a feeling that makes you question why does this person have that parking space? You notice the person alights from the car fully intact and completely ambulatory, no cane, walker or crutches. You might even question the legitimacy of their having a handicapped permit.

One day, we parked in a space directly next to a handicapped parking space.  Sitting in the front passenger’s seat, I looked out of my window and directly on my right side, I saw a big white van parked in that handicapped parking space.  Momentarily, the door of his driver’s side opened and I saw a man drop what looked like a fire worker’s boot on the pavement.  Then, he let his left leg without a foot, descend into the boot and he walked away. 

That experience awakened my senses and helped me realize how much more perceptive I need to be in making impressions that sometimes are not really accurate, adequate, justifiable, or fair.  It was a good lesson in humility.  As the saying goes,

 “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”  

                                                               

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 MENTALLY STIMULATED

We do have our dull moments when things seem to be at a standstill and everything appears boring.  Yet, all it takes is a spark of insight, a quick awakening, or what we occasionally call an “Aha Phenomenon”.  It’s the process of being mentally stimulated. or most enjoyable being inspired.  Yes, and an inspiration gives an impetus to being creative.  I think there are some of us who, as we emerge into our twilight years,  lose sight of that wonderful feeling of inspiration.  The wonderful thing about it is that even under debilitating or difficult conditions we can rally to creativity.   It is a quality we have that is latent, asleep, or lost temporarily out of sight.  I think an inspiration can occur just from allowing ourselves to be curious about something.

Suppose you say to yourself: “What if I took my camera to Publix when I go shopping? Wow, I could take some interesting pictures, collect them and make an album called, LIFE AND FOOD IN PUBLIX.  That sounds almost crazy or off the wall.  Nevertheless, it became your creative experience.  And, your life has become enriched with a novel new idea.  How about that? You see how something obvious can take on a new meaning for you? Yes, playing cards, reading a book, watching TV, going out to dinner or going swimming are pleasant diversions but do they occur from inspirations? Are they really creative?  I don’t think so.

It takes the idea of ingenuity, imagination, originality, or insight that feeds or nourishes inspiration.  When we open our minds to explore our thoughts we may get an inspiration.

“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions…”Albert Einstein

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind it doesn’t matter..”. Mark Twain

“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts…” Eleanor Roosevelt