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Inclinations

Priscilla Fagan

Open-mindedness

The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing-to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts. Keats, 1819.

Ah, but to keep an open mind when you've already made up your mind is the crux of the matter. We all have opinions. But does that mean that others are wrong in theirs? John Morley reminds us, Our opinions are less important than the spirit and temper with which they possess us, and even good opinions are worth very little unless we hold them in a broad, intelligent, and spacious way.

Change is inevitable, even when the change is going from the new, back to the old. Remember the late 70s/early 80s television show, "Diff'rent Strokes"? As the theme song said, ... what might be right for some may not be right for you... A quote from Alexander Pope, 1727, It is with narrow-souled people as with narrow-necked bottles: the less they have in them, the more noise they make in pouring it out. Change is difficult for some people but let's not curtail our own growth and development by staying in our little cocoons. Taking a risk, trying a different method opens up new worlds or streams of consciousness. In other words, give it a try. What have you got to lose?

LaBruyere, 1688 observed, It is often easier as well as more advantageous to conform to other men's opinions than to bring them over to ours. I guess the case in point here is, hey, you have a mind of your own, use it!

I think most of us are fairly flexible, we try to keep open minds. My opinion is a view I hold until-well-until I find out something that changes it. Well, this brings us 'round to contradictions. Jonathan Swift noted in his Thoughts on Various Subjects in 1711, If a man would register all his opinions upon love, politics, religion, learning, etc., beginning from his youth, and so go to old age, what a bundle of inconsistencies and contradictions would appear at last!

To sum up, let's share our ideas by keeping an open mind. Our opinions are important but that doesn't make others' opinions wrong.

I'll finish with a gem from Mark Twain. It were not best that we should all think alike; it is difference of opinions that makes horse-races.

Have a great Spring. I swear, I still remain,
Priscilla, the eternal optimist.