d not accept a reality that has been told to us, rather take what we know and investigate it to create our own reality. The influences of language will still hold true, but an awareness of this can make all the difference. Have you ever thought that someone is mean just because someone says so, even though you have never met this alleged “mean” person? You shaped a reality about a person without even talking to him. Language is strong and unavoidable. Its power is remarkable and confusing. How can words be so overbearing, and seem so simple? Every day we probably shape reality for someone just by the words we say. Reality never seemed so mysterious until now. Each of us just takes in reality for what it is. It is amazing to think that we can actually create and shape our own reality. You won’t make the world triangle or the sky purple, but you can decide if your reality is filled with joy or misery. We should all be nonconformists and make the world the way we want it to be. If your teacher says that college is hard and just the beginning of a very rocky road, turn to her and say, “In my reality, college is fun and just the beginning of a wonderful life filled with happiness! I will not let your words shape my reality!” Will she dare argue with you? Kids are great, aren’t they? They can spend hours playing with a spoon and a bowl. They have a profound and admirable sense of innocence. A child sees things in a completely different way than adults do. Adults see a woman in a flashy dress with extravagant jewelry, and they think to themselves “What a hussy!” A child can see the exact same lady and merely think “Pretty lady.” Are adults just pessimistic, self-absorbed morons with nothing better to do than criticize? I hope not, because that is not what I want to be. I think that the reason is culture and language. A child may live in the same culture as the...
