We can only gain wisdom by changing our ways of thinking
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: By the Rev David Macartney, North Coast Parish, Church of Scotland
Sometimes there are quotes that unexpectedly strike us at a deeper level, and connect with us, like this one by the author Santos Kalwar: “We are addicted to our thoughts. We cannot change anything if we cannot change our thinking.”
This is what I would deem a truism. Most people start the year with a list of things they want to change: eat better, exercise more, drink less. Yet by now most of these things have already fallen by the wayside and we have started to feel bad about them as we slip back into our old routines.
We begin to resent ourselves and our perceived weakness because we cannot stick to those plans that we made for ourselves.
There is another proverb that says: “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.”

We can only gain wisdom by changing our ways of thinking. There can be no growth without change. We were created with great minds, intelligence, creativity and passion, but we are also emotional and relational beings that function better when we have others to bounce ideas off and gain inspiration from.
At the moment the only way we can maintain those outside relationships is online, over the phone, or even by letter – so do not berate yourself if you did not stick to your resolutions, or were so fed up with 2020 that you did not make any! It is enough to simply be who we are.