Quiet Little Gifts

It just so happens that I believe in gifts. I think every one of us gets our share, and it’s up to us to discover them. I lose patience with people who bemoan their lack of talent...especially after a certain age. They are just looking in the wrong places and failing to notice what is right in front of them.

Oh, sure I would love to be able to paint or sing or something artistic like that. That is not where my gifts lie. But I have some gifts that are unique to me. Truthfully, I am hoping to discover some new talents as I age, but if this right here is all I am, I’m content. I’ll continue to learn and grow, even if I don’t discover some untapped pool of genius in myself.

I don’t have any grand, attention-gathering kinds of gifts, but that is a gift from God to me. I don’t like being the center of attention and if I looked and sang like Faith Hill, where would I be? Yeah, I know: wealthy and married to Tim McGraw. But I married a hot hardbody of my own and I have a healthy family, comfortable house, a nice car and a full belly. I’m rich enough.

My talents are the quiet, comfortable kind. I make a mean chicken and dumplings. Overall, outside of a few spectacular failures, I’m a pretty good cook. One of my notable failures involved a tamale-pie creation for which I only had blue cornmeal. I didn’t drain the filling properly and ended up with what looked like a casserole dish of purple dog puke. Happily, that sort of thing is the exception, rather than the rule.

Usually, I am a rock of cheeful, even temper...even in seas of turbulent emotions. You think that isn’t a gift? Think again! Even when all heck is breaking loose, you can usually count on me to be cool headed. If you were trying to antagonize me, then you would not admire this particular talent.

I have a dear friend who possesses a gift I especially admire. She is an absolute ray of sunshine. Just being near her makes you feel warm and accepted and valued. What a wonderful talent to have! A colleague of mine has a completely different talent. She has a laugh that makes you want to laugh, too, even when you don’t know what’s funny. It makes her beautiful in a way that the mirror never sees.

My beloved husband has more talents than I could hope to name. One of his chief talents is the power in his hands. He can make, fix, create, comfort, express....and please, through the gift of his hands. He is artistic. And he is the most intelligent person I have ever known. I don’t say that lightly. I know some pretty smart people, but none rival my own husband.

Our sons inherited some of their parent’s gifts, and added some of their own. They are each brilliant in their own, very different, way. It is an unending pleasure to see them develop as fine, honorable young men, discovering their own unique talents.

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