Thoughts are Powerful

This weekend I started looking for books that were free on kindle.  Most of the time these tend to be classics/older literature which is just find with me.  I read the secret garden this weekend.  I'd seen the movie but really enjoyed the book.  There was a quote at the end that really stood out to me,

     "One of the new things people began to find out in the last century was that thoughts-just mere thoughts- are as powerful as electric batteries- as good for one as sunlight is, or as bad for one as poison.  To let a sad thought or a bad one get into your mind is as dangerous as letting a scarlet fever germ get into your body.  If you let it stay there after it has got in you may never get over it as long as you live."

     "Much more surprising things can happen to any one who, when a disagreeable or discouraged thought comes into his mind, just has the sense to remember in time and push it out by putting in an agreeable, determinedly courageous one.  Two things cannot be in one place.  'Where, you tend a rose, my lad, A thistle cannot grow.'"

How true is this??  The power of mental suggestion is real.  I remember when I was in High School I had gotten sick right before a choir performance-crazy fluke thing.  But ever after I was always terrified/sure that I'd get sick before I had to sing, and sure enough I sort of did-at least my throat would always get weird.  Finally my older brother, Mike, told me that I was making myself sick, and if I would just forget about it and believe that everything would be fine it would be.  I never had another problem performing again.  You can't always decide what thoughts pop in your head but you can decide if you will let them stay there.

If you're gonna grow some flowers you're gonna have to pull some weeds to make room for the flowers.