If our minds are to serve us well, we must learn how to evaluate sensitively and judiciously. We must learn how to respond generously and wisely to every type of beauty, to truth in every area of human concern, to goodness when ever it occurs and to holiness worthy of our reverence. It is this purely personal capacity for evaluation, this sensitivity to the values that enrich human life and the ability to assess them judiciously especially when greed, fear and ambition compete for our attention. This would help us to distinguish wisdom from knowledge and maturity from adolescent irresponsibility.

These are the attributes of a well-serving mind. So why call it self-serving? Because these attributes are available and valuable for all people because they represent our genetic and cultural heritage and can be an easily stirred source of love, inspiration and passion, collectively characteristics that originate in the heart-mind, our spiritual side. I have been obsessed with the idea that an open-awareness, well-ordered-mind is a mind that has learned how to realize and express its own individuality, to be itself and not merely a clone or stenotype. The only worthy goal of man's astonishingly uniqueness is the creation of a mind, which in becoming organic, open and well-ordered, trained and well-informed, sensitive and mature is open to the richest, deepest and most fundamental fulfillment possible for human beings.

Education for its own sake stifles initiative, interest and originality. The culturally well-informed, disciplined mind is not free. On the contrary, its burdened with insignificant originality and idiosyncratic triviality and distorted by an ego-corrupt self-image. What would indicate an open, inspired, self-realized person is a mind that expresses openly, easily and organically its own idea's, that gathers and interprets facts in its own way, that encounters and judges values based on its own maturing responsibility.

In the best interest of self-actualization, what is possible is a lively mind, a mind in ferment, insatiably curious and critical, imaginative, open and creative. Our objective would be a self-starting, self-criticizing and self-nourishing mind. A mind that can function powerfully in its own interests and at the same time in the communal interest creatively and wisely under its own steam. Serving others as ourselves is the only path to mental health and self-actualization. Christ had it right, all the religions had it right. The problem is few people learn to listen with their hearts. To self-actualize we must not let the brain get between us and our hearts, another way of saying this is don't let the mind rule the heart. Love is what it's all about. It's not politically friendly at this time in human history, but it may be the best strategy for the needs of corporations, governments and populations. This could very well be the litmus test for electing candidates to serve the populations.

Judd, I know in your own mysterious, organic, open way you understand this. This capacity of your's is truly amazing and what's more I can see that you have learned the wisdom of making ordinariness a strength and you demonstrate that every day of your life. It doesn't get better, you make me proud.

Dad