Be Yourself
Children have wonderful imaginations! My grandchildren love to play “dress up.” It isn’t uncommon to see them in a “princess dress” or the little guy in cowboy boots and western hat. When playing in their “kitchen” one is the mom while another is a shopper. Sometimes one is a school teacher while the boys are fireman or a police officer. They dream of the time when they will be something other than “just a kid!” It’s in role playing we often discover what we really enjoy!
As we get older, we still put out “feelers” attempting to discover who we really are. As teenagers, it seems we go through a period of feeling totally inadequate, unable to come close to what we think we’d like to do or be “when we grow up!” This kind of feeling can affect the way we look at life and the way we perceive others look at us.
Girls are certain they aren’t the right size, have the right color hair, white enough teeth or the right clothes. There is this innate desire to “fit in” and sometimes it can cost us our true ambitions because we become fearful of rejection. Even as grown adults, in middle age, there are times when we are overwhelmed with the desire to “become someone else,” or at least, “do something different!” We just aren’t happy with who we are!
Our world has been filled with people who didn’t seem to fit in! Albert Einstein had a brilliant mind. He developed the theory of general relativity and had an incredible effect in the revolution in physics. 1 Yet this genius was not considered beautiful-or handsome! Marty Feldman was an English writer and comedian and because of a thyroid condition considered himself considerably unattractive. An Irish Musician, Shane MacGowan, found himself also in the category as Einstein and Feldman due to an eye operation that went wrong; yet he too, had an amazing gift.2 He is considered one of the most important Irish songwriters in recent years.
How we look or think we look is not relevant to who we really are. Sometimes, like the caterpillar we have to begin less than beautiful to become the beautiful person we were meant to be.
I challenge you, regardless of your age, to reflect on your outward appearance only for a moment. Then concentrate on what makes you special. Each of us is given a gift or talent to be used while we journey this Earth. What gift have you been given? You may be musical, scientific, mathematical, or strong in English, enabling you to possibly someday write for publication, be a teacher or Language expert. The list is endless. You may be a gifted quilter or cook. Even if you are just beginning, search where your interests are, then plunge forward.
You will discover while you learn and develop your skill and ultimately share your talent or gift with others, there is a double gift! You become both the “giver” and the recipient since you will reap unspeakable joy and satisfaction from your efforts! And those receiving a measure of your gift are also being blessed! It’s a win-win deal!
#talents #imagination #rejection
1 http://www.biography.com/people/albert-einstein-9285408
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marty_Feldman
Photo Credit: https://pixabay.com/images/search/caterpillar/