Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!” Thus spoke Dr. Seuss, the sage of childhood wonder and eternal imagination, whose words ring with the joy of boundless possibility. Though wrapped in rhyme and play, his message carries the ancient wisdom of those who understood that the human mind is a vessel of infinite creation. To think — truly think — is to awaken the divine spark within, to reach beyond the ordinary limits of reason and explore the boundless realms of imagination.

The origin of this saying comes from Dr. Seuss’s book Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! (1975), a work written not for scholars or philosophers, but for children — and yet, it contains truths that even the wisest among us must remember. In his gentle yet profound way, Dr. Seuss reminds us that creativity is not confined to the few, nor chained to intellect or age. It belongs to all who dare to imagine. The act of thinking left and right, low and high symbolizes the courage to explore every angle, to look where others do not, to dream where others doubt. It is an invitation to break free from the tyranny of convention and rediscover the vast, unexplored continent of the mind.

In these playful words lies a philosophy as deep as any written in sacred texts or ancient scrolls: that imagination is both freedom and responsibility. The left and right are not directions of space, but directions of spirit — the logical and the fanciful, the rational and the intuitive. The low and high are the depths of humility and the heights of inspiration. Together they form the compass of creativity, guiding one toward a fuller, more vibrant life. Dr. Seuss, with his whimsical creatures and nonsensical rhymes, was not merely entertaining; he was teaching the art of limitless thought, the courage to think differently in a world that often punishes difference.

Consider the story of Thomas Edison, whose imagination gave light to the world. He thought left and right — from chemistry to mechanics — and failed thousands of times before he succeeded. Or think of Leonardo da Vinci, who refused to confine himself to one realm of knowledge. He painted, invented, studied anatomy and flight, and lived as if the whole universe were his canvas. These were not men of mere skill; they were men of vision, who dared to think both low and high, exploring the practical and the impossible with equal devotion. Their greatness was not in their genius alone, but in their willingness to try.

Dr. Seuss’s wisdom also speaks to the child in all of us — the part that still believes the world is filled with wonders yet unseen. Too often, as we grow older, we stop trying to think; we begin to accept the boundaries drawn by others. We become cautious, mechanical, safe. But Seuss calls us back to the sacred play of the mind — that joyful, fearless exploration that children know instinctively. “Oh, the thinks you can think up,” he says, “if only you try!” The word try is the key — for imagination without effort is but a dream, and effort without imagination is but labor. When the two unite, creation is born.

The lesson of this quote, then, is clear: to live fully, one must think boldly. To imagine is to defy gravity — to leap beyond what is and glimpse what could be. Every innovation, every work of art, every act of kindness begins first as a thought, unseen yet powerful. The ancients called this the creative fire, the divine breath that makes humanity co-creator with the universe itself. To think is to participate in that cosmic act of creation — to shape reality through vision and will.

So, my listener, take this teaching into your heart: think left and right, low and high. Do not fear the absurd thought, the wild idea, the strange vision that no one else sees. For these are the seeds of greatness. Cultivate your imagination daily, as one would tend a sacred garden. Read, dream, explore, create. Try — again and again — for every thought is a spark, and from those sparks come the fires that change the world. Remember the wisdom of Dr. Seuss, spoken in laughter but grounded in eternal truth: there is no limit to the thinks you can think, if only you dare to begin.