I wish to thank our mentor, Mary for her insight on “talent and encouragement”
, and share my viewpoints on this topic.
One of many reasons people are stuck in predicaments is that there may not be any social need for their talents, or that such talents may not yield enough monetary rewards for them to have a decent living. Some people may be very talented
in acting or painting, but not too many can make it to the main stage or have their masterpieces displayed in some fancy art galleries, with huge price tags attached to the frames. I think we need to realize that only the talents that are able to meet social demand can actually lead to huge success. A lot of young people these days are deeply captivated by rock music and dream that one day they’ll become another Neil Young or Shania Twain. That dream can be extremely far-fetched. My eleven-year-old son has been telling me he likes music and wants to have his own band when he grows up. His dream is that he’d become a huge star someday, and have enough money to buy any fancy toys he could dream of. Refraining from being a dream-breaker, I gently told him that he’d need to cultivate talents other than music; since he likes science perhaps he should study to be an engineer and then pursue his love of music as a hobby. I’d encourage him to form his own band and allow his musical talent to blossom on weekends and evenings, but
his main focus should be on a scientific area of his interest. I am also constantly working hard on steering him straight and away from becoming a strict materialist. I wish to mold him into a non-materialist who is capable of gaining gratification from spiritual values and belief. As I learned from Mary’s words, attaching one’s happiness entirely on material artefacts can further block one’s
path to truth happiness.
Our society still cannot permit all citizens to work on jobs that match their talents. Another problem I can see is that some people, (regrettably but truly, yours included, because I’m only a common man, after all) are willing to work on
a job that generates more money, with little regard to their talents. When they
have spouse and kids to nurture, when there’s a pressing need to put food on the table and to pay rent and bills at the end of the month and keep all the creditors away from their doorstep, the urgency to make money can totally stifle any
talent. Quite frankly, a lot of people are just happy they can hang on to their
jobs and not get fired. And after work, they’d live they lives in the most relaxed manner, without a flicker of thought on how to make their talents flourish.
It takes effort, and a prohibitive level of stress, to excavate our talents and
potentials, to put them into good use in order to achieve self-actualization. When having to meet end’s needs sucks up all our energy in a day, not too many ordinary folks can spare any more thought on fulfilling and enriching their intrinsic values. When the “invisible hand” is manipulating our economical life, when scientific technology and social productivity still cannot unconditionally sustain a comfortable life for all citizens, there will always be external factors
that hinder people from realizing their talents.
Canada accepts thousands of new immigrants every year, who is to say that these
new comers don’t have any talent? But because they are devoid of advanced vocational and communicational skills, society does not provide them with the opportunity to utilize their talents. These folks are usually forced to embark in tedious labour jobs such as janitor, dishwasher or store clerk, for the majority of their working years, without even realizing that they had any worthwhile talents.
I think we all need to do a little self-assessment from time to time and ascertain any talent that we may have. We then need to address it, foster it and find ways to allow it to take shape. Since happiness in a very large degree, depends on how well we are positioned to utilize our full potentials.
I am totally in accord with Mary’s statement on giving out encouragement. A simple acknowledgement or a small recognition can be a good catalyst to awaken a person’s dormant talent. I can relate to that with a personal experience. Several
months ago I was at the mall trying to buy lunch at Edo, a Japanese fast food stand. I placed an order for a Teriyaki beef and shrimp noodle. Seeing how the oriental cook diligently and masterfully prepared my food, I grinned in appreciation and said: “Thank you for doing a wonderful job! You’re such a pro. I’m sure the noodle tastes as good as it looks.” His eyes were lightened up and his face beamed with joy. I knew instantly that I just made his day, and I swear I got
extra three shrimps and a big friendly smile just for showing a little appreciation for his effort.
Let’s soak and muse on Mary’s insightful words: “With observant, knowledgeable, good mentoring by somebody who knows the ropes, it is amazing what a talented
person can achieve. Do not just pass by their best efforts with a blank face.”
Live long and prosper.
Neil