Craigisms™ are a way of expressing a personally developed philosophy I have been working on for the past three years. I do not claim to be a therapist, a psychiatrist, a psychologist or a professional who gives advice. I am your everyday average Joe who goes through the same obstacles and hardships that people experience day in and day out. Craigisms originated from the concept of The Craigism Theory which attempts to remind us of the old fashion values that made marriages last over 50 years but with a modern twist. It also incorporates an outside-the-box concept that attempts replace the negative with a positive.

The key to creating Craigisms begins by using three of my five senses: hearing, sight and touch. It is important to listen because some of life’s great lessons are spoken of during casual conversations. In some cases we find ourselves in situations that require us to listen before we act. I found over the years that we do more talking than we do listening, which contributes to a lack of communication both inside and outside of relationships. The age of technology has begun to cloud our senses seeing as we are only required to use sight and touch to communicate with someone through a phone or computer making it more likely to misinterpret what is being said. Some would say people talk too much or talk a lot of nonsense; I see that as an opportunity to learn.

I was taught, in the military, to be aware of my surroundings at all times. This requires me to use most of my senses most importantly my sight. I find it amazing how non-verbal communication can tell you more than what is being said between two people. I remember riding the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) from Oakland to San Francisco. A couple in their mid 20’s sat across from me on the train but spoke softly to the point where I only heard parts of their conversation. To my surprise I did not need to hear what they were conversing about to understand the mood the girl was in. Her body movements, facial expressions, slight gestures and body position said it all. I could tell he was upsetting her and it was making her want to distance herself from him, but her actions were so subtle that he was oblivious. This is why sight is important as it provides a secondary measure by which we can learn and attempt to understand the situation.

Lastly you are probably thinking to yourself how does touch help you create a Craigism? Have you ever hugged someone or provided him or her with comfort during a difficult time? Have you ever kissed someone because you love him or her? I have done both and I am sure you have as well. We can make a difference in people’s lives by being supportive. A shoulder to cry on goes a long way and is the first step in accepting the situation. Think of support as a foundation that can be built upon and then end result is the lesson learned.

The combination of these three senses is important, not only for the development of each Craigism, but to learn about life and how we can experience the negative but remain focused on the positive. Think back to your past and count how many times you made a mistake. Now count how many times you made that same mistake again. Did you learn from the original mistake or did you ignore it and hope it would go away on its own? Think of each Craigism as a lesson in life. Together we can use the mistakes we made to prevent future generations from repeating them.