June 3, 2009
“Live More Thoughtfully”
Dear Friend,
The experiments that Dr. Pavlov conducted on dogs have become part of American popular culture. Put simply, Pavlov demonstrated the power of conditioning. For example, if you ring a bell every time you feed your dog, eventually the dog will become conditioned to salivate when the bell rings.
From these experiments, people draw all types of conclusions about cultural conditioning. Frankly, I do not desire to live a dog’s life. I intend to live more thoughtfully.
In a thoughtful life we learn, increase in understanding, and choose more effective behaviors. By contrast, if we live thoughtlessly, our behaviors—like in Pavlov’s dog experiments—are responses to someone else “ringing our bells” or “pushing our buttons.”
I encourage you to engage in life-long learning to metabolize this learning into understanding, and to choose behaviors that empower you to live the quality of life you choose. God bless you in your quest for a noble soul.
Doc
Dr. Dave Collings
Lead Pastor
Christ Church
