Just a suggestion

I was in the market for a puppy , and my needs were specific. I had learned from my older dog, the escape artist, that in order to contain a dog in my yard, I needed a breed that would grow to be wider than the spaces in my fence. With that in mind, my daughter and I excitedly set off to a pet store that featured adoption of abandoned dogs. 

As you might have guessed, all of the puppies were take-me-home adorable, but none met our size requirements. As we lingered to nuzzle the pets, an adoption attendant noticed my daughter cuddling a puppy and asked, “Has he stolen your heart yet?” How sweet that phrase sounded! It wasn’t until I heard the exact question repeated by two other attendants that I finally got it. Although well intentioned, the adoption staff understood the effectiveness of planting a powerful suggestion in the mind of a customer. 

This experience prompted me to think about the many suggestions that occur in my thought, and what effect, besides picking the wrong pet, might result from mishandling them. 

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
In the News–A Spiritual Perspective
Building new homes, building new lives
January 3, 2011
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit