Article May 19, 2014 Issue

All-star thinking and acting

Lois Herr

Have you ever watched a baseball game and seen how the pitcher intently leans in toward the catcher to pick up the signal for the next pitch? Sometimes he gives a quick little head-shake that says, “No.” Then he leans in again, looking for a different signal. If it still doesn’t feel right, he will give another authoritative “No.”

Pitchers have to make immediate decisions about a catcher’s suggestions. Catchers will advise, but it’s always the pitcher’s call when it comes to deciding which signal to act on. When a signal finally comes that the pitcher can agree with, he will straighten up, set himself, and throw the baseball with full commitment.

Sometimes thoughts are presented to us a bit like those pitch recommendations. But how quick are we to shake off the bad ones and ready ourselves for a better idea? I’ve seen time and again in my practice of Christian Science that folks worry about why negative, unhealthy thoughts have come to them, instead of just simply dismissing them and replacing them with a right idea. We do have a choice about the signals we respond to and the ones we simply shake off with a quick and definitive “No!”

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