Passing Thoughts On Thinking

In the backyard of our first home there was an apple tree. Every year it
would flower and produce apples. They were Transparents, a tad on the
sour side and best suited for pies or apple sauce.

Under the tree we kept a few chairs so that we could sit in the shade and
watch as our children played in the yard. If alone I would take a book to
read, or pencil and notepaper to write. It was a good environment for thinking.

We sold the house long ago but I always remember the yard with the tree. Not long ago I drove past that first address to see if the neighborhood had changed, perhaps the house was no longer there as so much of our city is being “rebuilt.” What a surprise. The house still stood, still modest in stature but all gussied up and cared for. In fact the whole street had a bearing of pride and seemed to attract families with young children. I parked, got out and lingered a while. Peeked into the backyard, and yes, that old apple tree was still there.

These days with the children grown and gone, I have more time for reading --- something that gives me great pleasure. I like historical novels, literary
winners and books on growing our assets and personal development. I have
learned of the power of thought and learned too, that when we think, we
should think on purpose. My late friend and mentor, Dr. Alan Haynes always told me that I should set aside some time each day to just think --- but to “… think with purpose.”

At first I did not understand what it was that Alan meant. My thoughts were untamed and untrained flitting as they did from one subject to another not knowing where they came from. Then I got it. I can control my thoughts. I can decide that the next thirty minutes I am going to think about planning my upcoming holiday. Now that’s an easy one. It is easy to sit down with anticipation and decide on the date, the destination, research points of interest, pencil them into your itinerary. The mind is engaged with good thoughts. Intrusive thoughts seem to be kept at by.

Now try this with some other topic. If you own a business spend some time thinking about how to improve it, how to increase its bottom line, how to systemize it so that it can run without you. The choice of topics is as varied as your imagination.

The thing is that when you block off time to think, do so in a quiet place. No radio, no ipod, no TV. Change or create a suitable environment --- no matter where I am, when I do my thinking, I mentally transport myself under that old apple tree.

Recommended Reading: Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill