The H(h)uman M(m)ind
What goes through our minds, day in, day out, every hour, minute and second? Thoughts. Happy thoughts, sad thoughts, angry thoughts, bitter thoughts, nostalgic thoughts. Recollections, reflections, Contemplations, Plans,imaginations, Fantasies - all these are forms of thoughts. A strange thing, the Human M(m)ind. Sometimes the swirl of thoughts in my mind is so intense, so confusing that it’s frightening.Note i used uppercase for Recollection, Contemplations, Plans and Fantasies: no such case for reflections and imaginations. That’s because i consider these four to be the most important and therefore the most damning.
Have you ever felt the world to be dark and lifeless when one of those four kind of thoughts cross your mind? Recollection of bitter memories or an unhappy past, a friend you have lost,words you’ve uttered or actions you’ve done only to regret it later? Contemplations of what COULD have been but can NEVER be, steps u wish to take back but can no longer do so, words you wished you never said, words u wished u had the courage to say but never did? Plans that you know deep within yourself will never bear fruit despite your best efforts, culminating in your deepest regrets? Fantasies about the uncertainty of the future, of what will be and how u will be deprived of the things and persons u cherish most in your life?
Or perhaps you live in a bright and sunny world where the thoughts are positive? Recollections of the greatest moments in your life,when u felt like you were top of the world, being with friends, family, the one you dreamt of? Comtemplation of how u have acted wisely in the face of adversity,how u had the courage to do what was right in the circumstances and how, right now, u’re enjoying the fruits of your bravery and labour? Plans for the future - where nothing will go wrong, where everything will only be brighter and rosier than things are now, where everyone will look at you with rapturous expressions on their faces and say "you’re the greatest!", where you will live in a state of eternal joy? Fantasies of the wildest kind : being in a fairytale where you are the lead character, everything is made of sugar and honey, laughter rings all around and all ends well, u’ll live happily ever after with the one of your dreams?
I suspect most of us alternate between the two realms mentioned above. Some are in states of joy (or depression, depending on the circumstances) for hours, days, weeks or maybe up to years. Some, meanwhile can alternate between such realms in a matter of seconds. I’ve experienced both. Which brings to my question : if our thoughts can lead to happiness and despair at the blink of an eyelid; and last for eternity to boot, do we revere the chief architect of our condition for its power and call it the Human Mind? Or do we despise it for its cruelty and the damage it does, and just call it the human mind? Elevate it to the heights of being a Something (as a special noun with capital letters) or crush it to earth and just be a something(a common noun with small letters)?
By this point u may probably feel that i’m just a nutcase with too much to think of. People tell me not to think so much. But the H(h)uman M(m)ind, love it or hate it, is not an easy thing to control. Thoughts are very much part of our lives and they often make the difference between rejoice and regret- i find that most of mine inevitably bring me the latter. Perhaps i should really not think so much? ignore my M(m)ind and let things be, as my friend(s) like to tell me?
But then again…by making a conscious effort not to think and to ignore my M(m)ind, i’m still using my M(m)ind at the same time, am i not?
