Back in 1926 when Charles A. Lindbergh flew U.S. mail runs between St. Louis and Chicago, he often became bored on calm days when the weather was no challenge. To kill time and to keep alert he often played a mind game he called “Suppose.”
Suppose they could refine a new kind of gasoline, a lighter fuel with less weight so they could carry more. Suppose he could buy one of those new type Wright-Bellanca planes just coming into production. Maybe he could fly St. Louis to New York.
Supposing he could fly all night like the moon. He could break the existing records across the country. He could span continents. Supposing he could even fly from New York to Paris.
I’ve played that same game of Suppose for about fifty years now and the most wonderful things have happened. Supposing I could get a decent job using my talents. Supposing I could write a book. Supposing I could learn how to speak. Supposing I could book the early bird spot at the 1978 National Safety Council?
And so it went, one supposing after another until one day in 2002 I walked on stage with ten other safety people and we received the highest honor given to individuals in the safety field, The Distinguished Service To Safety Award. And now, supposing I could somehow inspire others to dedicate their lives to some worthy endeavor and play this mind game called SUPPOSE? I wonder what awesome things might happen in this world.
“Suppose” I never thought of it as a game. When I was in school they called it “day dreaming.” Before that they said of our fathers that they were just being “boys.” Today they say the kids have “ADD!” To think all along it had a name and was practiced by all the brilliant among us!
“Suppose”
“Suppose” they could develop a new kind of tasty, filling, but non-fatting food I could be…
“Suppose” I’d read your book when you sent it to me instead of three years later. “Suppose!”
“Suppose” we once again encouraged our youth! “Suppose!”
A Fan,
Jr