Wk3 - Reading Activities - Response to James McPeek

Jame McPeek Wrote:

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The Art of Possibility chapters 5-8. My football coach in Junior High School said something to the effect of “... you get injured when you worry about getting injured.” I believe these words echo the themes of the chapters we read. The way I played football was everything I could give and all out — all fun. At the same time I was just starting to seriously pursue being a pianist. I played football into High School and enjoyed trouble free piano playing during that time. People commented “don’t you worry about your hands?” I did not worry about my hands and the coach’s words seemed to serve me well. I was fortunate enough to receive grants and scholarships to go to college for piano. During that time injuries never seemed to hinder playing the piano. I attribute it to the similar themes from our reading: standing as partners not traffic cops (telling when to halt), not taking yourself to seriously, being in the moment with possibilities, and letting go “all out” of what you have- your passion.

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Last week I made comments when writing about chapters 1-4 that I have been intrigued by individuals that always seems to be positive. “I have marveled through my life at the individuals that are always positive, cheerful, and strong daily leaders no matter what. There are people that are resilient and have that capacity. Yet there are many that develop and choose to make that their contribution to others and themselves over time.” This weeks reading hit some of the explanations of that capacity and some of the reasons why it can be missing. Over the past few weeks I have reflected that the book “Art of Possibilities” has counterparts that tell a similar story, really multiple books or stories exist that express many of the same ideas. (Unfortunately, I am not well read and can’t name them…) I do believe this book does create a range of ideas and offers interesting contrasts to either debate or ponder.

My Response: 

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Jim there is a saying, by James Allen author of As a Man Thinketh -  “The aphorism:  ‘As a man thinketh in his heart so is he, not only embraces the whole of a man’s being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to every condition and circumstance of his life.  A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all of his thoughts.”   This says to me that “Whatever man believes he can achieve.”   These quotes fall directly in line with your Junior High School football coach’s words - “You get injured when you worry about getting injured.”  You see my oldest son is a musician (acoustic/electric bass) and I used to worry about his hand when he played basketball.  True to my thoughts -- the day before he was to play at the Eastman School of music with an all Black Symphony Orchestra playing Beethoven’s 5th or 4th Symphony he broke his finger playing street ball.  Needless to say, I was concerned about his finger but more importantly I was truly upset because he did not listen to me.  Did my worry set in motion an action that caused an injury to him?   Is that what we sometimes do to ourselves by “fretting” about life?  It’s true; sometimes we need to “let it be.”  This week’s reading made that loud and clear.

I also agree wholeheartedly with your comments about the many facets of the theories presented in “The Art of Possibility.”  Sometimes while looking through life’s window we see the expressions of others and rate them comparatively with ourselves             `as either positive or negative.  While putting the icing on other people’s cakes, we sometimes leave our own without frosting.  The elements introduced in chapter 7 -- the calculating self and the central self -- gave me an opportunity to look not only at myself -- but at life as well -- in a different way.