I first wrote this as a part of an AF Manual in 1981.
I don't think the thought is out of date.
Give it a whirl and see what you think.
An instructor can help you to learn (1) to absorb knowledge (2) to memorize and recall knowledge, and (3) to reason - the ability to analyze and to judge. There is a fourth power that only you can contribute. That is the ability to visualize, to foresee, and to generate ideas. Some call it creative thinking.
The ideological competition for the minds of mankind is addressed in this fourth power. One idealogy encourages creative thinking on demand, along specific paths, while attempting to suppress that same power in other areas. The other major idealogy attempts to give full freedom to this power.
Technilogical superiority of our nation, in the past, has been achieved through free appliction of this power. If we are to retain this superiority, it must come from this same source. The limits to which we can tap this source are largely self imposed. Complacency is the thief that denies to us the fruit of this power. Too often, our goals are self gratification in the most effortless manner availlable.
Why read a book when we have seen the movie on television.? Why cook a delicious meal? It's so much easier to warm a TV dinner in the microwave. Why leave our airconditioned homes to visit the mountains, desert, lakes, or rivers? We have seen documenteries that told us about them. Why find a better way to do our work? Aren't we content with the system we have now? After all, it works. Why become familiar with AF Manuals and Operational Instructions when we have plenty of samples or examples left by our predecessor?
But- - - -have you ever felt the crisp clean air and smelled the unforgettable aroma of pine trees,or heard the muted tinkling of a little brook passing over the rocks, or heard the rustle of little night creature's feet while you stared up at the clouds hiding, revealing, and hiding again the beauty and unimagineable dimension of the universe?---while watchin television.
What is more lonely than to have such an experience and have no one with which to share it? How beautiful it is to relive those experiences with the person who did share it. When was the last time you and another shared a television scene in such a manner.?
We must turn our backs on being satisfied with the commonplace, easy, self-gratifying answers to our desires and reach out, first in mind, then in actions, to attain the worthwhile fruits of this life. To be able to do your job is not enough if you would taste the nectar of accomplishment. It is not unlike a ready- mix cake that is good, but, something indefineable is missing, waiting to be added by the touch of imagination. Could that imagination be yours?
To often we look at our task as if in a small TV screen. There's something else out there but why concern ourselves with seeing it. Let someone else do the imagining. Let someone else do the studying and planning as long as stuff just gets off of your desk. And the system goes on without the touch that only you could give.
Your talents are not your own: they were loaned to you. Not given to be dormant and unrecognized, but for you to give to others. Only your creative thinking can leave your place better than you found it. Only by sharing it with others can it grow in value to become a lasting treasure. The man who invented the paperclip was, no doubt, not the first to have the idea or see the need, but he went further. He twisted a piece of wire and life was made easier for all of us.
What piece of wire awaits your twist, or: what ready-mix is lacking your secret ingredient. Only your imagination (creative thinking) can recognize the need, capture the opportunity, and make things better.
Learn your job well but never assume that there is not a better way. It's just waing for you to find it.
ADW/1981
This was such a good read. my hubby and I would l love nothing better than just to go and keep on going. Forever a huge part of our life was camping out and will be back to say more about that when I am on my computer.
ReplyDeleteBack now. Yes, we even used to just take our old Suburban and sleep out in it. We used a rubber boat to fish from. Later on we bought all the camping gear: tents, lanterns, all that. Eventually we graduated into the big league and are now proud owners of a 1975 Dodge motor home. LOL! If we should ever come into wealth, both of us would like nothing better than to get a diesel motor home and see all of the U.S.
ReplyDeleteAs far as experimenting and pushing further, that's what I want to do in my writing. I don't like the feeling of staying "safe" on it. I think perhaps so much of today's writing is sanitized and politically correct. I agree with you about Mark Twain. Another is Flannery O'Connor. She joins the greats, but many would take exception to her work. Certain cultures and social climates have existed and when we try to sanitize them or clean them up, we've just buried a part of us.
I'm far from being a racist. Far, far. But I enjoy good literature and so much of it was written long ago. They're called the classics, and guess what? You can get nearly all of them for free on Kindle. Do you have a Kindle? If not, you should def. get one. While they are a little expensive up front, they are wonderful. I am one of those that loves the look and smell of a real book, but the Kindle offers various font sizes, the ability to look up a word from your fingertips, and I have all of Dickens' works downloaded for free! Check it out at Amazon.com if you haven't already.
Wonderful post!
I enjoyed this read.... your writings remind me of books I've read over the years. Are you published? If not, you should be... your writings are very nice and thought provoking. Thanks for posting this.
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