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DifferentMany children are taught to mistrust anyone that is different. Some societies are very closed and very closed-minded. People who see things that are not the norm are considered crazy. If their minds work in a different way, they are considered ill. In some cases the society comes up with names for these special conditions. One special condition is dyslexia. People who had this condition included Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and Michael Angelo. All of these, at one time in their lives were considered crazy. Another famous "nut" was Mark Twain. He was not just a great writer and humorist but he was also one of the most popular people of his time. He could, and did, see most of the heads of state of his time. Today, there are people who are very different, like Steven Spielberg. They are also among the most influential people in the world. From his early films, like ET, to now his films have helped to educate, inform and challenge the way we think. Many of the people who deride people who are “different” are afraid that those people who are different will change them. Their fear prevents them from seeing alternatives. In many cases, they are most afraid that people will find out that they are themselves different. People who are creative are different. This is really part of the definition of creativity. Completing a paint-by-number set is not creating a painting. Assembling a bird house kit is not creating a bird house. Creativity is generating something new. Most of us like variety in our foods. We do not think that eating pizza will make us Italian, eating Moo- Shu-Gui-Pan will make us Chinese or eating bagels will make us Jewish. Yes there are a few people who want to have the same foods each day. Most of us get bored if there is no difference. In the metaphysical world there are people who see, hear and experience things that are out of the normal. As children they are usually told that they cannot see that or that it is just their imagination. In our classes we have many people who come to learn and we find that what they really need is to peel away the years of training that taught them to ignore their special gifts. Because there are so many people we know with these gifts, we know that having these gifts is not so different. At the other end of the spectrum are the parents who did not want to strip away their children’s special gifts. In many cases they did not do anything but acknowledge that the gifts existed. We know people who have grown up this way and many have been in treatment because they are flooded with input. Between the two extremes is a happy medium, no pun intended. These people have been taught to filter the inputs and to control their gifts. If you expose film to sunlight, you get no picture. You need to have a lens and the right exposure to get an image on the film. Training the person with a special gift enhances the gift; it does not shut it down. In the same way an artist is taught to use paint and brushes so that they can create the paintings they already see in their mind. The person who is different, who thinks or feels "out of the box" needs to know when it is time to go back into the box. Being different is an asset. Being different means that you are you; not that you are insane or bad. |
