Thursday, September 29, 2016

Jon's Life Lesson #1: Lego Logic

Time lapse of me building this "Star Wars" Z-95 Headhunter Lego set today: 


The reason I post this (other than the fact that Legos are cool) is because it reminds me of one of the best "learning moments" I had as a kid.

It would have been 1979 or so. I was in first grade.

The Lego "space" sets were on the market. Very popular. The sets featured red and white spaceman minifigures, and were constructed using grey and blue bricks, along with translucent yellow "window" bricks.

I had a number of the smaller sets (including the Alpha-1 Rocket Base), but didn't have the "granddaddy" of the spaceships -- set #497... the Galaxy Explorer.

My friends David and Alex -- who my mom watched before and after school -- each had a Galaxy Explorer. I was pretty envious.

I remember one morning when both were in the living room, watching TV and talking about their Explorers. I was so jealous, and didn't want to leave my room as a result.

My brother Jay (who is 10 years older than me) decided to help out. He looked at my various Lego space sets (which featured many of the same wing, body and window pieces as the Galaxy Explorer) and suggested he could make a ship to rival the Explorer.

He was incredibly talented constructing things with Legos, and was able to whip up a cool-looking ship that seemed like it could have been purchased at the store -- but was totally unique to me.

The moment illustrates that:

  1. Legos are AWESOME, and 
  2. A supply of random bricks, coupled with a creative mind, can yield amazing results.

You won't always be able to get exactly what you want or need in life. But if you learn to use your resources wisely, study the problem, and employ the "creative side" of your brain, you can achieve incredible results.

I was blessed to grow up in a home where creative pursuits were encouraged.

Thinking critically has served me well in life, and has been a key in the success my wife and I have had.

If you ever find yourself wanting for something in life, think about my Lego Galaxy Explorer story.

There's no stopping a creative mind.


Read yesterday's blog post: Envelopening: What Happened to Dean Blais?

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