All life in an ocean is directly dependent on the conditions of the water. A cold water fish cannot thrive in tropical waters just as a positive thought cannot thrive in a negative environment. It does not matter how many friends the cold water fish takes along with him into tropical waters he still will not prosper. Now, if the cold water fish were practicing positive thinking he would try and convince himself that the warm water was actually cold. Despite what his imagination tells him, the reality of living in warm water will continue to work against his every effort to live a productive life. As his quality of life continues to degrade he will experience more and more discomfort and negativity and he will have to work harder and harder to maintain the cold water illusion. You see? Sir Walter Scott knew all about this kind of mess when he penned, “Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.” (I know, you think I messed up and should have given Shakespeare the credit for that quote. I used to think that too.) Who are we deceiving? Why ourselves, of course.
Here’s the point. Negativity has value. It does no good to try and sweep it under the carpet. When you create the illusion of positivity you miss the possibility of possibility. That’s right. While you work hard to maintain the belief that all is right with your world you miss the possibility of actually improving it. If our cold water fish did not practice positive thinking or become self-involved with creating intentions of affluence, he would be left with the stark reality that he does not fit in. This realization is his salvation and the first step on the path to tangible positivity.
