Thursday, October 8, 2009

Didn't make the cut

These photos have nothing to do with the post, other than the fact that they weren't in focus enough to post on my photo blog even though I love the faces.

At 3 AM while I was rocking the baby who had a bubble that just wouldn't come out I watched "The Middle" on Hulu. Have you seen it, I wasn't intrigued by the commercials, but its actually pretty entertaining. Anyway, there is the extremely awkward, funny looking adolescent girl. She keeps trying out for things, but is bad at everything. The joke is she doesn't have a clue how bad she is at everything, and the parents have to keep letting her try out for things even if they do know how bad she is.

This had me thinking.

There is plenty that I just can't do: running, any sport that includes running, anything that includes numbers (including counting, remember phone numbers and address, and important dates, math), spelling.

There is plenty that I can do. The problem is, I am easily convinced that I am not as good as I thought I was. Like when I didn't get to be a music major. I spent two years avoiding singing. I have the opposite problem of this character in the show. I am easily discouraged, and don't like feeling like I am bad at something, or feeling like other people think I am bad at it. This prevents me from trying things, or repeating things.

Often I am not as good as I think I am.

Just as often I make up the fact that "they" think I am bad at what I think I am good at. "They" often don't even have an opinion.

I wonder if there are things I am good at that I just don't see, or value. I'm sure there are.

6 comments:

Erika Hill said...

I think you're good at blogging. I don't mean this in any sort of patronizing way--you have a way of telling personal experiences that ties them into the world at large in a significant way. You express your beliefs with feeling without ever being alienating. Your posts make people think and smile, and your pictures are beautiful.

I think this is a talent.

Jessica said...

You're definitely good at everything on the crafty side of things, and you make killer pies. I was craving one of your peach pies the other day. How about you just have your kids call me if they need help with math, and I'll call you whenever I need something that requires any domestic talent whatsoever. Then we just have to learn to teleport so that we won't have to worry about high phone bills or the cost or mailing things.

Tammy Lorna said...

I suppose the running, counting and spelling things are out, both otherwise, I think you're pretty much good at everything! You seem to have a talent for coming out on top at everything you try (and I know you think that talent is restricted to your husband, but it's not :))

I also think you've got a talent for being a wonderful friend. Your humour, commradery (obviously I'm even worse at spelling than you), wisdom, encouragement, ability to share and uplift, gentleness, support and conversation have been such a boost to me over the last several years.

So you go girl! Just assume you're good at everything :)

xo Tammy

Jordan Reasor said...

That baby looks just like you when you were a baby.

Sandy M. said...

Oh Brecken - you are really good at making beautiful babies! Simeon is sooo adorable, it was hard to concentrate on your writing when his gorgeous little face was there to goo at. He looks so sweet. And content and happy and well-cared for. I can't imagine many (if any) more important things for a woman to be good at, than to be the kind of good mother that you are to your family.

As for being good at things in general - some people have oodles of talent; some have much less. I don't believe that there is a necessary correlation between talent and self-worth anyway. Would Simeon not be just as precious and loved, and just as much a child of God with limitless, divine potential - even if he had come to earth with severe physical and intellectual disabilities? He's precious - we all are - because of his and our intrinsic worth. Our earthly limitations are not necessarily a picture of who we truly are.

Compared to Einstein, I am a ninny. Compared to the Prophets, I am a spiritual midget. Etc. I don't think it matters how talented we are - only that we are willing to do our best, and find joy in it, for us and for others. I think it is the character-building process of being willing to strive for improvement, no matter how we compare to others, that has real eternal value. Then I think the trick is to choose well where we place our best efforts.

I don't think God compares us. He just loves us and wants us to 'take courage' and have joy :)
xo

Mindy said...

I've seen amazing pictures of your knitting. I don't even attempt to cast pearls on or off! It is so complicated for me.
I think it's hard as a woman sometimes no matter what we do, we always realize there's someone that could do it a lot better. We're too hard on ourselves.
You opened my eyes a little bit, because I was just thinking how I'd like to do something when the kids are in school...but I don't think I'd be good enough at it (even though everyone else seems to think so). It might just be something in our personalities that tells us that and we have to push those thoughts out and take more confidence in what we can do, who we are, and who we can become.