Hidden Talents

Recently, I posed this question on my Facebook feed: “Do you have a hidden talent?” NO ONE responded! Now, it could easily have been a Facebook glitch, and the post wasn’t seen by too many people. To kind of egg along the algorithm, I made the first comment. I really wanted to keep the post lighthearted. So, I told everyone that I could croak like a frog. Which is true. I sound like a real frog! Still, no one responded.

Why do I think you should find and identify your hidden talent? Mostly because throughout our lifetimes, we are told repeatedly, whether straight out or just by implication, that we can’t do this or we can’t do that. It’s usually meant as well-meaning advice, hoping to save us headache and heartache. If there is a very good reason why we can’t or shouldn’t do something (Illegality, immorality, etc.), someone who cares about us should gently and righteously tell us. If we are striving for a certain accomplishment, it’s certainly in our best interest to have guidance and encouragement. During our childhood years, those responsibilities fall upon adults who love us.

So, as adults, it’s important to remember that we can be dream makers or dream crushers. Children present several different kinds of challenges to us, and they can be quite persistent even when they have a different wild idea every other day. So, we don’t want to go into high gear when our daughter tells us she wants to be an astronaut. But we can tell her some of the steps she would need to take to get to the place where she can really make plans. To start with, she would need to take all the science and math courses she can. That may be enough to either spark a realistic goal or she might absolutely decide it’s not for her! Children (yes, even high school age children) are easily persuaded or dissuaded by the influence of their parents so it’s important to be aware of their rather fragile egos. It’s not an easy job.

Oh, and what do I consider to be my real hidden talent? Well, I have an extremely overactive imagination. I dream in color and have “to be continued” dreams, which I’ve heard can be typical of someone with a big imagination. You can be assured, no one ever encouraged that trait when I was young. As a child, I learned to keep my imagination to myself so I wouldn’t be reprimanded or ridiculed. I admit it’s a talent that necessarily needs to be curbed occasionally and focus is imperative. I was extremely fortunate that I married someone who also had an impressive imagination, and he never discouraged me. However, it did take many years for me to work up to full speed!