Pre-School of Thought:

Back when I was in High School, I had gotten hooked onto two things, Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach and any books, tapes or T.V. appearances by Dr. Leo Buscaglia. After graduation, I discovered Richard Bach had written another book called Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah which turned out to be a really fun book with some truly wild possibilities, because within this book of fiction was another book entitled Messiah's Handbook: Reminders for the Advanced Soul.

The main character of Illusions read from the handbook from time to time when he needed to reflect on something which he had just learned or something that was truly difficult but need to be learned. The rational being that the answers to our problems are within each and everyone of us and that all we need to reveal these answers to ourselves is to read something to see if it says anything to us. An old newspaper or gum wrapper would suffice, but this handbook was supposedly the best collection of reflective wisdom available anywhere.

By the time I had finished reading Illusions I was certain that I wanted a copy of this handbook for myself, but I knew I couldn't just walk into Walden's and buy a copy, nor was the local library likely to carry it, so where could I get a copy. Well, since I knew I couldn't buy it or borrow it, I decided to write it myself (Like most 18 to 21 years olds, I had an indestructible ego).
 

So I went back and made a study of the main body of Illusions, specifically looking for "little gems" of philosophy which Bach may have buried inadvertently (like a squirrel with a precious nut) or deliberately (like a pirate with a secretive treasure, daring anyone to uncover it). I carefully reread each chapter, paragraph, and sentence, for hidden and double meanings. As I tried to follow this "treasure map to enlightenment," I occasionally felt as though I had almost missed an important "clue" to where "X"
should be marking the spot.

Soon, in order to fully understand what Bach may have been trying to say to his reader, I found that I had to write in my own words what I felt he was trying to express. My search for spiritual guidance became almost scientific in nature, as I spent hours searching for and dissecting all of Bach's philosophical concepts that I could find. I didn't realize then that I was becoming a kind of Philosophical Research Technician - a kind of Indiana Jones of the philosophy set.

Later, I did the same kind of research with other books. First, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, then moved onto Leo Buscaglia books, Love and Personhood. Like Plato, I was (and still am) in search of truth, and it had become my one true passion. When I had about 100 pages of "truths" and I began reading and reflecting on them, but my book wasn't complete yet, because I then began to write my reflections into the book. In the same manner as a artist might, when intent on creating a self-portrait, peer into a mirror from time to time, I too had to look upon my spirit, and the words of Bach, Buscaglia and others had become the "mirror" upon which I had chosen to reflect.
 

I believe it was because I had missed the most important lesson that my two favorite authors had been trying to teach their readers. I forgot to follow my own path. I forgot that their words were only supposed to be signposts, placed along a chosen path, and my own ideas were supposed to be the concrete and asphalt for me to build my own road to travel upon as I continued on my own journey toward higher education of the self.
 

Later, after some computer training provided by the New Jersey Department of Labor, and Mercer County Community College I used my School of Thought material to improve my typing skills. The library at Mercer County Community College made an excellent source of research material, and School of Thought took shape as it never had before. I now had the writings of Confucius, Plato and Laotzu to inspire new thoughts. I could be awed by the words of Gandhi, King and Powell, and then ponder on Fromm, Laing, Rogers and many more.

I am currently continuing my education, but I now wish to share my student perspectives School of Thought -- so that others may reflect upon these humble, fumbling philosophies that I have written to see what truths they can glean from and add to reflective mural of life.