Human Potential
by
P.C. Simon

What can we become? Into what can we grow from our untapped talents,
our unexplored potentials?

Potentials are of two varieties; genetic and social.

Genetic potential is the one we are born with and is derived from
the genes of our parents. It dictates our height, weight, colour of
eyes and hair and probable diseases we will contract or resistence
to diseases, intellectual capacity, etc.

Social potential is that which we inherit as the result of our birth
into a society with cultural strictures or opportunities. The
education of the society into which we are born, our ability to
access education, the mode of living and the normal work the society
is involved in, the belief system of the society, wealth or poverty
of the group into which we are born, all affect our opportunities to
reach our potential.

But these adversities, whether genetic or social, can also become
stepping stones to success. For example, Helen Keller suffered an
illness which, at the age of two, left her blind, deaf, and mute.
This adversity propelled her into fame as a world renowned exemplar
of educational methods for the blind.

Adversities help us in re-thinking our actions and modifying our
goals. Charles Kettering, the famous American engineer, broke his
hand while cranking an automobile and hence invented the self-
starter. He had a sign in his laboratory, "Do not bring me your
successes, they weaken me. Bring me your problems, they strengthen
me."

Edison, who patented 1100 inventions, claimed that his deafness
helped him in that he could hear the loud ticking of the telegraph
ticker amidst other chattering by people. This deafness led him to
the unexplored field of sound and its transmission.

Beethoven was deaf when he composed his Ninth symphony. Darwin,
Disraeli, Carlyle, Dickens, Emerson and John Burroughs became famous
in spite of their handicaps.

Queen Elizabeth I suffered from stomach disorders, ulcers, dropsy,
fits, rheumatism. Yet she ruled well, became the most famous
sovereign in English History, and gave her name to an age.

What is the limit of human potential? There is none. Why? Because
the substance of the Creator has no potential-limit and the soul of
man is an atom of the Creator's energy. How can we prove this?

In the beginning, only the Creator existed. This is axiomatic. An
atom of his substance, which is energy, He converted into matter and
created the universe. With another atom of unconverted energy, He
created the soul of man. How do we know? Because the soul is not
matter and therefore, it is unconverted energy. Therefore, there is
no limit to human potential.

We limit ourselves by our own belief. Belief is a very powerful
instrument in achieving results or even failing to attempt. If we
believe that we will not succeed, we will not attempt and our
potential is wasted. If we do not attempt, we will not succeed.
Thus, we set the limits of our achievements. We can also break the
limits of our achievements by belief and action.

In conclusion, there is no limit for human potential. We were
created to be companions for the Creator and companionship demands
brotherhood, and sharing of all potential. We know that there is no
limit to the potentials of the almighty Creator. That means, human
beings will be endowed with all the potentials of the Creator.

However, we cannot acquire all the potentials of the Creator until
we are capable of handling all divine potentials. Just like we will
not be able to teach infinitesimal calculous to a third grader, we
will not be able to handle the divine potentials until we have
become strong, wise and knowledgeable. Human knowledge is doubling
and redoubling faster and faster. Eventually, human beings will have
all the potentials the Creator- God has.
___________________________________________________________
Dr. P.C. Simon
http://www.interchange.ubc.ca/psimon/book2.htm

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Simon is a retired research microbiologist with many scientific,
motivational, and philosophic publications to his credit. He is also
co-author of a prestigious four volume text book on diseases of
animals. His recently published philosophical work, The Missing
Piece to Paradise, has received outstanding reviews.

He has contributed greatly to the community by founding and acting
as president of the Hatfield Society which operated a half-way house
to educate and modify the nature of prison parolees and by
establishing the Chacko and Lize Simon Scholarship Fund which gives
scholarships to students from impoverished families in his home
state of Kerala, India. Thus far, he has awarded scholarships to
over 800 such students.