THE POTENTIAL TO BE

The potential to be is the greatest gift from our creator. If we accept it, His power allows us the rare opportunity to search for that thing we do best that will ultimately help to define us; some call it talent while others call it a gift. Our beginning in this world is humble and innocent no matter the social or economical status. We all arrive the same way and must rely totally, and longer than any other species, upon the goodwill of others to nurture us to a station in life where we can sustain ourselves. Many are fortunate to have nurturing caregivers early on to help identify and foster talents/gifts. For example, most often, the successful professional ice skaters, musicians, mathematicians, sportsmen have all arrived at their station in life because someone cared enough to help cultivate their talents and abilities.

Meanwhile, there are many others equally as bright and promising, but lacked the benefit of good parenting/nurturing to socialize them that is providing them the skills caring caregivers provide. For this group, talents are often not realized until much later in life, if ever, because of their lack of conviction, courage and self confidence to go it alone,

So what is this talent or gift that lies within everyone's reach? First of all, to have talent means to have a superior ability to do something considerably better than most. It is a natural inheritance from the Divine Creator. Some social mavens most often equate talent with having superior intelligence or mental acuteness as a result of having gone to an institution of higher learning of some sort. Not only do I disagree, but I believe this myopic definition of talent has in part contributed to the staggering number of able-bodied individuals, moving soporifically along our streets, begging for pittance. How do we account for those who, for a myriad of reasons, were not able to attend college but went on to make remarkable contributions in our society?

Individuals who lose themselves along the way should be reminded again and again, especially when they are in the dole lines, that they must fight for their rightful place in society. They should be reminded that they must strive to connect with the divine for guidance in seeking their special talent or place in life. They should be told there are "no throw away" folk in this world. Ultimately, they need to know that unless they find the passion to fight; they will forever find themselves on street

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