Thursday, December 12, 2013

Can and Can't

Each of us has things we do well, and things we don't. You might be good at foreign languages, but struggle in math. Or you are an excellent chef, but spelling confounds you. Or perhaps you can draw with great detail, but can't navigate to the corner store. That seems to be the way life runs; we are given great talents by our Creator, and those things are wonderful. Unfortunately, if we aren't gifted with something, it can continue to be a struggle.

I seem to be gifted with writing, and baking. At least I love to bake, and most of my creations come out tasting pretty good. Along with a few other dry areas, (math, navigation) I seem to have a complete empty area in my brain that covers buying shampoo. It's such a simple thing, right? Head to the store, stroll to the hair dept, and pick up a bottle marked shampoo. Pay for it, and you're done. Except every time, I pick up conditioner, as evidenced by the 4 bottles of conditioner in my shower, and no shampoo. Including the new bottle I picked up yesterday that wouldn't lather in my hair, because it was not shampoo.

If you aren't born with a natural talent for something, you can still work really hard and learn the skill. It just doesn't come as easy as someone with an inborn talent. I suppose I will have to work really hard to make sure I come home with shampoo from now on, and not conditioner once again. Or the stores could help in this department. They could put shampoo on one side of the aisle, and conditioner on the other, rather than buddying them up on the same shelf. Most stores do that for cat and dog food already.

Whether a certain skill comes to us easily (say writing) or not (playing the violin), we can still aspire towards these activities, and keep ourselves motivated to learn, and reach towards those stars. Even if it is something as simple as buying shampoo.

God Bless,
Chela