The human potential for our thoughts is fascinating! Not only are our thoughts the most sophisticated of any species on the planet, but we have the capabilities to understand other thoughts in a way unimaginable!

To explain, the biggest difference between us and our closest genetic relative, the chimpanzee, is that while humans and chimps can interpret others’ emotions, only humans can relate to the understanding of someone else’s thoughts about another person. The third person narrative in the first-person point of view.

That is why humans can become so enamored and addicted to reality tv or gossip. From the time of Shakespeare to the Bachelor/Bachelorette series on tv, as a human we can all think about the relationships of others and how they affect each other. We are the only known species that has proven they can do that.

Have you ever had an epiphany before? You know, a thought that in your mind is so profound that it stops you in your tracks and you can only wonder how such brilliance even came about in your head? An epiphany is one example of the deeper thoughts our brain is capable of. An epiphany may come in a time of need, or in a state of a clear mind. They may seem random, but only come after numerous times has been invested in thinking about or studying a particular problem.

There may even be a period between the thinking time frame and the epiphany. One famous example is Albert Einstein. He had already figured out that relativity was a field that existed but couldn’t explain it in theory. Then, a seemingly randomly thought came to him one day that he called the “happiest thought of his life” which allowed him to explain relativity in terms of incorporating gravity, paving the way for the modern understanding that we have today.

But was it random? No. Einstein had been searching for a theoretical answer to his relativity ideas for some time, and finally his brain had put the thoughts, experiences, and other information together so in that moment, he was able to come up with the answer he was looking for.

Some deep thoughts are just straight clever. Here are a few I found funny, intriguing, or profound:

“No matter the size of our house or bank account, our graves are all the same size.”
This is right up there with “we all put our pants on the same way each morning.”

“Some people consistently fail to get along with others because one’s spirit irritates the others’ demons.” – Love others with all that you have and know that the best relationship you can have is to continue to improve your own relationship with God.

“People often think that if they time traveled and changed the past, that it would radically change the present, but do not realize that a different set of actions in the present, could radically change the future for the better.” – With new year’s resolutions underway, couldn’t this be such a powerful motivator towards making positive change within yourself?

“Water is a portal to a place where humans can fly but cannot breathe.” – I just thought this one was clever. But it shows how our perception determines our reality. I don’t like swimming, but if I think of it as flying it becomes a lot more appealing in my mind.