Think Results NOW: You Are What You Think book 1 – #12: Power of Love Tanscends Prison Walls

You Are What You Think book 1

Article #12

My life is an Excellent Adventure from using “You Are What You Think”

Power of Love Transcends Prison Walls

THIS IS THE STORY of a young San Quentin convict named Norman. He was full of bitterness and hate, but the tremendous power of love changed him from the potential murderer of his wife into a loving husband and father.

Teaching Natural Laws and Principles to men in prison is a wonderful experience. You know these laws are infallible so you can accept any challenge.

You must have the courage of your convictions, because the men aren’t interested in vague theories, and they don’t want to be “preached to.” You must be prepared to prove what you are saying.

I HAVE ALWAYS stayed with the basic Laws and Principles that have proven themselves throughout the centuries. The only problem is that these Principles are so simple !

We have grown accustomed to believing that in order for anything to have value it must be complicated. Why would such beautiful teachings be meant only for a few ?

Inevitably I’ll be challenged by someone. I welcome this because it is an opportunity to prove the validity of the Principles.

ALL OF THE GREAT teachers and spiritual leaders have told us that the most powerful force in the world is LOVE.

My class of 75 men at San Quentin Prison a few years ago didn’t agree. Almost without exception they argued that hate is a far more powerful force. Norman in particular. Norman was so consumed by hate that it actually showed on his features.

He had been in San Quentin three years when he first came to a class I conducted on alternate Saturdays.

THE BETTER PART of his three years in prison had been spent in plotting the murder of his wife ! He somehow felt she was responsible for his being imprisoned.

His resentment and bitterness grew as she had failed to write to him for over two years.

When I told the men that love is so powerful a force that not even time or space can weaken its effect, I knew I could expect a challenge.

SURE ENOUGH IT came, and it came from Norman.

“I haven’t heard from my wife in over two years,” he said. “You say that love is so powerful it can overcome time and space. Can you show me how to get a letter from her ?

The room grew quiet. I glanced at Norman. He had a contemptuous smirk on his face.

“NORMAN, DO YOU mind if I ask you a personal question ?” He shook his head and I said, “Was there ever a time when you and your wife were happy, and were you ever in love ?”

His expression changed immediately.

“Oh yes, the first few years were wonderful,” he said. “We had two children and were a very happy family.”

“ALL RIGHT,” I answered. “I want you to try an experiment for the next two weeks: from now on, I want you to think only of the happy times you had together. Every time thoughts of hate and resentment come into your mind immediately replace them with thoughts of love. Remember how much you loved each other.

“You’re not going anywhere for awhile, so you’ll have plenty of time to go back to your old way of thinking later if you wish.”

Two weeks later I returned to San Quentin. When I saw Norman I hardly recognized him. The lines had disappeared from his face, and he was smiling broadly. Most important of all, he had a letter in his hand !

HE ASKED TO READ it to the group, but his voice was so choked with emotion he had a difficult time.

I remember the words well: “Dear Norman, I hope you will forgive me for not writing for so long. A strange thing happened a few days ago. I started to remember all the happy times we used to have together. I was overwhelmed by a feeling of love for you. The children and I want you back if you would like to come back to us, and we will wait for you.”

Norman read on, and when he sat down there were few dry eyes in the room.

NOT LONG AFTER this incident, Norman was released and was reunited with his family.

Catherine Ponder, a great Unity minister wrote, “How often people have missed the blessings and security of a happy marriage and a good life because they have condemned and criticized, rather than loved their way through the challenges that confronted them. How much easier it is to love your way through a problem than to battle your way through it !”

Others have said since the beginning of time: If you are not experiencing the good in your life that you desire, you must learn to express love from within yourself. You will find, as Norman did, that love is like a magnet, and will change your whole world.

ALL NORMAN DID was change his thoughts of hate into thoughts of love. The amazing power of love did the rest.