Jenna brought up a good point last night that I spent the night thinking about -- when I wasn't dreaming about BOBO who is at a "smart" camp. I had a nightmare that she wouldn't go to sleep. If that is my nightmare, then I truly do have ukulele size problems. Anyway, Jenna says she knows a woman with a beautiful voice and substantial range who is to afraid to sing to anyone. She wonders why that is and why that woman doesn't work to develop some courage to accompany her God given gift of voice.
I answered Jenna wrongly. We were both looking at the woman and wondering why she wouldn't take the talent God gave her and use it. But that kind of thinking misses the mark. I have an incredibly limited range and nothing remarkable in my voice and yet I am forever searching for ways and means through which I can play and sing. Yes (for those of you who read Pride and Prejudice -- I AM afraid I will turn into Mary.) But the core question for both my behavior and the behavior of the woman who will not sing is --
What do you value?
What do you treasure? Is it something that comes easily to you or something you work very hard at? I hate to say that is why we have trials, but there you have it. Those gifts that are just given to us -- we take for granted or "esteemeth them not." I like the poem that reader Ver shared with me. So I will share it here.
Be still, sad heart, and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.
It is impossible to judge others--as to why they will or will not develop their talents. Many of them may have problems which can't be seen. They may be emotional, but they're still problems. Our own mother went through a period where she wouldn't play the organ. It's so easy to think, "If I had a voice like that I'd be singing all the time."
ReplyDeleteI am forever grateful for the gift of persistence I was born with. It has served me better than the natural gifts I might have wished to be born with. I might have to learn everything by sheer determination, but it's better than not learning at all!
I too, can be pretty tenacious. Unfortunately, for me, the ID seems to be in charge.
ReplyDeleteLove the poem.
ReplyDeleteI heard a quote on the News the other day that I really liked:
ReplyDeleteThe soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears. ~John Vance Cheney
It sounds better when you say it outloud.