The first pillar of thought, the what, has to do with what we think about. In a way, what we think about is one of the most important aspects of our lives. To a large degree, the thoughts that we add to the mind determine the feelings we experience and the behavior we put into action. Apparently, if we were to think nothing but angry and frustrated feelings, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, our lives would be consisted of mostly anger and frustration. As a result, it would be difficult for us to experience joy or happiness, or for us to be nice to anyone else. On the other hand, a positive attitude can literally change our entire life. When we look upon life in a positive nature we are bound to find the good in every situation. Positive thinking shines a light on our lives so bright that it draws happiness and confidence to us like flies are drawn to light.
In addition, the second pillar, the how, has to do with how we think. We, in general, spend time thinking in essentially two different and distinct ways. Both are extremely critical and easily recognizable. The first way that we think is similar to a computer, which is very analytical. It is the way we think when we are learning something new or when we are trying to figure something out. When we use this type of thinking, usually at least some efforts are involved. By contrast, the other way, the soft thinking, occurs when we think without any effort. That type of thinking sometimes does not even feel like thinking because it happens all by itself when our mind is clear. Owing to the passage, it is not that one type of thinking is better than another. They both play a significant role in our lives. The problem, as I see it, is that most of us seem to rely too much on our analytical thinking, especially when it is not working.
In conclusion, I would like to propose something, regardless to this passage, but to book as a whole. This book, by Dr. Carlson, is the number one national seller with 12 million copies in print, since it thoroughly illustrates the simple ways to keep our cool in stressful time. The one hundred passages within it actually all surround one age-old question, “If you have a half glass of water in front of you, do you regard it as half-full or half-empty.” This is a question symbolizes our lives as glass and helps determine whether a person is optimistic or pessimistic. But what if the glass was already broken? If we consider the glass to be already broken then we can open up our mind to be more present with it and appreciate the time he has with the glass. We can take a lesson for our lives. The question isn’t, is your glass half full or half empty? The question is, are you able to see the glass as already broken? In other words, do you comprehend that our time here is short and eventually will pass? If you understand this you may just find yourself at times lying in a field beyond half full or half empty where your cup is completely empty ready to receive the wonders of life that are all around.