The Healthy Management of Reality - Stanford University

patience it must have taken to complete each mountain's sculpting. Moreastonishingly, the ability of the Andean communities to keep the terraces alive andfruitful from prehistoric times to the twenty-first century speaks to the way inwhich material reality, once shaped by a human idea, itself can shape the internalworld of human beings far into the future. It has been said that a mind oncestretched by an idea, never regains its original shape.For several years now, I have been attracted to a similar process: thesculpting of personal reality. I am intrigued by the way human beings mold ourlives, starting with our selves, moving on to our family, our work settings, ourcommunities, and beyond. There seem to be infinite possibilities of living life,even when individuals start out in very similar situations. And some of those resultin fulfillment, while others lead to pain.For example, some individuals who live alone have found peace andtranquility in their life style, while others feel constantly lonely, anxious, anddistraught. Some feel that until they can find someone with whom to build arelationship, they cannot be happy. Others, already in a relationship, feel that aslong as they remain in it they cannot be happy. There are parents who feel thattheir children have wrecked their lives, while others feel that unless they havechildren, their lives will not be complete. Obviously, living alone or with others,or being a parent or not having children can each lead to satisfaction or distress.HMOR.July2005.Muñoz.doc 10