Find The Greatness

Ok so I'm just jotting down random thoughts that have been on my mind. My sister posted this thought on her blog a long time ago. It's stuck with me ever since. I think of it often and asked her to send it to me so I could post it here, where I can refer to it often.

The older I get the more I realize we are all so different and have our own unique gifts and abilities. Too often we compare and we judge wrongly. We compare our weaknesses to the strengths of others and feel bad about ourselves. We compare our strengths to the weaknesses of others to feel good about ourselves. I've found that the most confident people I know, never speak an unkind word or judge another person to bolster their own ego. The more insecure a person is, the more they find and look for, fault with others. Their security comes from external sources and it never satisfies.

Who you are is great. And our time should be spent noticing and appreciating what's great in others. I learn more about a persons character by the way they speak about others than almost anything else. Our differences, no matter what they are, are a gift to the world. Even if it's not the way we might choose to live our lives or how we view the world. Even if it's different from the way we've decided is best.

Your Special Gift
Each of us is born with a specific genius that was bestowed upon us so we can do our part to make this world a better place. All of us have a role that we’re uniquely suited for. Imagine our planet without trees, oceans, or clouds. In this same way, when one of us doesn’t develop or use our special gift, a cosmic void takes place.

This unique talent or ability may be hidden from your own sight like a golden treasure buried under shifting sands. Often, we spend so much time dazzled by the talents of others that we can overlook our own gifts. It may even be that our unique ability is something we view negatively. Perhaps we find it difficult concentrating on any one subject for long; meanwhile, others are thrilled by our ability to weave various ideas throughout our conversations. Or, you might think of yourself as “frivolous,” when it’s likely your charming approach to life casts a light of inspiration that others can’t help but follow. It’s important for all of us to try to find our special gift and discover how we can best express it. Ask others to name what they think is your most overlooked talent or character trait. Their answers may change your life.

Explore these riches that are yours to express, and you may find yourself helping others discover and develop their own blessings. Acknowledge and appreciate the gifts you see in those around you. Tell your neighbor that loves to garden how much her green thumb enlivens the whole block. Thank your coworker for always greeting your days together with a smile. Tell your close friends that their ability to listen makes your world a better place. Our unique gifts are like golden rays of expression that can encircle the world with light.

Imagine what it would be like if when speaking about ourselves and anyone else, we only spoke of their strengths, their gifts, their unique talents, and saw them in a positive light instead of a negative one. What if we found the greatness in us and used it to help others feel great instead of using it to help ourselves feel greater than others. Imagine that.