What I'm Seeing Now

I had occasion recently to see a need satisfied, two needs really, and at the same time!

In a group of young men, stripling boys really, some singing would have been dramatically improved with some piano accompaniment.  No one stepped up to the plate.  I did not know that any of them played, and I thought I knew them pretty well.  To my surprise, and apparently everyone else's, one young man sat down and began playing.  He knew the song by heart.  And he played beautifully!  Actually he was great!!  The singing not only improved, but got more buoyant and loud and enthusiastic.

After much back slapping and atta boys, suddenly our pianist became the center of attention.  No one knew he could play!  His family had been sworn to secrecy.  He was afraid that his piano playing might be viewed as dorky, and, when with his friends, he buried his talent.  He showed it and got really rewarded.  He satisfied a need for the group and the group satisfied a need of his.  It can't get better than win-win.

Suddenly there was a cathartic moment.  Confessions spilled out.  "I play this," ..."And I play that."  Proud proclamations!  It was a great teaching moment, about buried talents, and sharing and how we all got a bit closer together (I never miss a chance).  One kid even laughed and said his mother had told him this would happen!  He was shocked that she was right.

On a personal note, I have to confess that the older I got the smarter my mother got too.  It was an amazing transformation...  Now as I look back, I realize just how brilliant she was.

Do you have talents that you can share, but are afraid that someone else might consider it dorky?  You never know how sharing it might just improve a circumstance or a relationship or a life.  Even yours!

I'll bet the next time our group needs a talent shared more volunteers will show up.  I catharsis, therefore I am... or something like that.