Right And Wrong Thinking And Their Results
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Sensitiveness is the tendency or disposition to be easily affected by external objects, events, or conditions. We say that a person is sensitive who is so delicately constituted that he is keenly susceptible of external influences or impressions, is easily affected or moved by outward circumstances, and responds quickly to very slight changes of condition. Though so often misunderstood and condemned, it is one of man's greatest blessings. The peculiar sensitiveness of the optic nerve gives sight. Deficient sensitiveness of that nerve causes imperfect sight; entire lack of it is blindness. The greater its sensitiveness, the better the sight and the more we may see, and know, and understand, if we will only use it as we should; that is, if the perception is followed by the right kind of thinking. This is true of every perception.

Superiority in any sphere is unattainable without that sensitiveness which confers larger knowledge and understanding. There is much discussion about what constitutes genius; at least one element without which it cannot exist is an extreme degree of this very sensitiveness, and the degree of sensitiveness often determines the degree of genius.

It is this characteristic which enables the musician to perceive shades of tone which another cannot hear. It gives him information essential to the execution of delicate musical passages impossible to others who do not possess the quality in the same degree; and in directing an orchestra or a chorus it is this which enables him to perceive advantages and defects which would pass unnoticed by one less favored. This keenness of perception is indispensable to leadership.

On the other hand, there are persons who cultivate themselves into spasms over a discord, and, by glorifying their suffering as a mark of superiority, they unintentionally provoke similar disturbing conditions in their associates. This agitation is the result of their thinking, and thinking is entirely distinct from sensitiveness. By avoiding their in- harmonious thoughts about the discord they will

Theodore Thomas had so cultivated his sensitive ear that not only could he detect the slightest discord, but he could tell which one of the instruments in his large orchestra produced it also avoid the disturbance they create, and this may be accomplished without the loss of a single pleasure. An ear rightly trained to listen and to catch the slightest variations may take note of all the imperfections, but they will never bring pain if the thinking is rightly controlled; and the more sensitive the ear, the greater the pleasure, because the mind can better perceive the exquisite beauties of the music, dwell upon them, and luxuriate in them.

The question is whether the mind shall be occupied with the defects of the music to the exclusion of consciousness of its beauties, or occupied with its beauties to the exclusion of its defects. Each person may decide for himself which it shall be. If he chooses discord it will be discordant in proportion to the character and intensity of his thinking; if harmony then harmony. The sensitiveness is only a servant to minister to either pain or pleasure at one's own behest, but it is very efficient and capable of bestowing immense advantages if the thinking is what it ought to be. This is the condition not only in relation to music but in every case where sensitiveness is concerned.

Psychologists say that in the beginning we were not able to understand many of the messages of the senses, but that through our experience we have come to recognize without conscious effort the relation to us of those things outside of ourselves which are revealed by our senses. We are continually educating ourselves in the various phases of sense perception, and we use that education for our advantage. We should do the same with every form of sensitiveness, including all the more subtle and less understood faculties which minister to our consciousness.

When two people first meet, they receive impressions in addition to anything that is communicated by the eye, the ear, or the clasp of the hands. Through means and in a way not clearly under- stood, each perceives something of the other and recognizes conditions not revealed by the senses. There are a vast number of these perceptions, varying widely in their manifestations but of a similar general character. By comparing, analyzing, combining, and otherwise examining, we may continually cultivate our understanding of these just as we have done with our sense perceptions.

The most important difficulty connected with sensitiveness, but not an element of it, arises from the fact that the mental attitude is often distorted by allowing discordant thinking to follow experiences which are not fully understood. Where we do not fully understand we too often let fear govern us, and we look for evil in all the dark places; instead, we should turn on the light so that we may know the true character of the information which comes to us through all avenues. Certain of these perceptions are held by some to be "warnings," and, if fear creeps in, the consequent discordant, and therefore disastrous, apprehensions which follow fear act upon the whole physical system and bring a host of evils along with them. There is great opportunity for such results, because sensitive persons are more easily injured than others -- not by the "warnings," but by the greater intensity of their discordant thinking.

It should be distinctly noted that the suffering commonly attributed to sensitiveness does not come from that source nor from the perceptions which it confers, whatever they may be, but it does come solely from the discordant thinking which, through lack of mental control, is allowed to follow. Because of this entire separateness between sensitive- ness and thinking, and because the suffering comes from discordant thinking and not from sensitiveness, the most keenly sensitive person may so train himself that he can stop his discordant thinking and thus avoid all the injurious consequences which have been erroneously attributed to sensitiveness, and at the same time he may retain all the advantages which may be derived from it and its perception.

Though sensitiveness is never an evil nor a disadvantage in itself, yet thousands condemn it, condemn themselves for it, and are condemned by others because of it. Many excuse themselves and are excused by others for their erroneous conduct "because they are so sensitive"; and for the same reason still others are believed not to be responsible for that which it is supposed they cannot avoid. All this is wrong. Dr. Clifford All butt says truly: "The attributing of over excitability to nerve structure in disease is absurd. No nervous matter was ever too excitable. To be excitable is its business. In over excitability a race-horse differs from a jackass. The more excitable our nerves, the quicker and higher our life."

If a person is mentally self-controlled, the greater his sensitiveness, the greater will be the advantages which be will derive there from, and by the proper cultivation of his thinking he may add largely to these advantages. Even that extreme degree which seems to result in disease is not an exception, because the disease is the result of thinking and not of sensitiveness, and when the thinking which caused it is. avoided, the disease will not appear, although the sensitiveness is in no degree diminished. Control of the thinking along these lines must be exercised most rigorously.

The discordant thoughts which follow any perception must be dismissed abruptly and with a positive ness which will not allow their return. Because of his fear the sensitive person continually hesitates and often refrains from doing important things, thus directly impairing his efficiency and adding another kind of discordant thoughts to the stock already on hand. Fear is not sensitiveness, though the results of fear are very often mistakenly laid at its door. When the eye shows us a strange object, we dismiss any fear which may arise and investigate it. We ought to do the same when our consciousness of something new comes through any avenue of perception.

No one finds fault with his keen eyes which enable him to see further or more minutely than others do, though they may inform him of difficulties in the way. Instead of finding fault with the difficulties thus revealed, he rightly prides himself upon the possession of fine eyesight and delights in all the enjoyment and advantages which it brings. So should each one congratulate himself, and be thankful for every avenue of information which he possesses.

The thoroughbred horse derives his valuable characteristics from his great sensitiveness, which enables him to do many things that other horses cannot do. In the hands of an incompetent driver he can easily be ruined, but in the care of a wise one he accomplishes wonders. The driver is the one to be blamed for any disaster, and not the horse. Just so it is with persons. The difficulty lies in their own lack of that wisdom which would enable them properly to control themselves. They allow their minds to run riot in discordant thinking of one kind or another, and in that way ruin themselves and bring distress to those around them, all the time erroneously blaming it upon their sensitiveness.

Let no one mistake for sensitiveness that which is born of selfishness, jealousy, envy, or egotism, for they have no connection whatever. The person who is always getting "hurt" by some fancied slight, some lack of appreciation or attention, should never hide behind the plea of being sensitive, but should face the truth squarely and recognize that jealousy and self-love -- not self-respect -- breed the thoughts which wreck his happiness.

Sensitiveness has been denounced as the bane of many a life. It has been charged with the ruin and death of untold thousands, and no one can measure the grief which has been laid at its door. And yet it was not sensitiveness that did all these things, but it was the discordant and erroneous thinking which its possessor allowed to riot through his mind. What has been supposed to be a curse is really a blessing. The curse is to be found in something else. Let each one dismiss discordant thoughts, emancipate himself from the condition of a victim, and become a victor, happy in the possession of such a desirable quality. Use it wisely, as every advantage should be used, for one's own benefit and for the benefit of others, and it will prove itself an invaluable servant.