YOU'VE GOT YOUR GOAL - NOW MEET IT

Did you know that you have something in common with Percy Shaw? What! I can 'hear' you saying. Who was Percy Shaw and why do I have something in common with him? Well, for those of you who don't know, the late Percy Shaw O.B.E. invented 'cats-eye road studs'. What a wonderful idea that was! How many of us have driven down long winding unlit country roads at the dead of night,'comforted' by the now familiar reflection of cats-eyes guiding our way, without giving them a second thought..? Percy was born in Halifax and in 1935 invented and patented his now famous 'cats-eyes'. There is some conjecture as to what actually gave him the idea. The 'romantic' version being that he noted the reflection of a cats eyes in car headlights, hence the name. His invention came to prominence when as minister of transport Jim Callaghan introduced them onto British roads, I suspect your a little perplexed now as to what you have in common with Percy? Well, He had a thought, which then became an idea! How many times have you had a thought/idea? Countless thousands I'll wager. So what is an idea..? Whittled down to its conception, its a series of wavy lines...an electrical impulse in the brain! Now, I would like you to ponder on that 'thought' for a moment..! (The power of thought.) In Percy's case a thought 'developed' into an idea, that idea 'developed' into a vision, that vision developed into an 'actual' physical item, far removed from the original wavy line that first went through Percy's mind..! It's true that Percy had an inventive and engineering mind, dogged determination and unremitting Yorkshire grit...! and I for one salute him..! He 'succeeded' because he turned his thoughts into reality. He achieved his 'goal' and went on to live a comfortable (albeit his choice) frugal life all because he had a dream. So what is a dream..? Whittled down to its conception, its a series of wavy lines...an electrical impulse in the brain...Hmmmmm