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Webster's dictionary refers
to talent at Matthew chapter twenty-five 14-20. Of course, we know this
talent refers to money given to a person. How they managed that money is
told. One buried it and naturally it did nothing. One used the money and
in doing so increased the amount they had. For me, this is the total
secret of the matter, that of using what one has even if it is only your
mind and a pencil or whatever.
Very often, in fact, most
of the time, when someone tells a person they have talent the statement
is tied to the thought that talent is God given. My thoughts on this is
that all things are God given. However, talent is a gift like a diamond.
Without the facets the stone is just that, no more, no less. It has little
luster and is really not worth what it ultimately could be after the
designer cuts it. A step farther back can be going to the thought of the
material being first just a lump of coal before circumstances created it.
Without wishing to get
involved with the theory of evolution still one has to acknowledge talent
is a bit like this. On baby steps we begin our progress during this very
short span of life. According to one's dedication, training, desire,
lifestyle and whatever other points of light are available to us, and we
progress toward a goal.
I was impressed with the
statement made by Degas. “When I die, stand up and say one thing. 'He
liked to draw.”
Probably, this sums up what
is involved with talent. It is something one likes to do. This craft can
take a person away from the sorrows, disappointments, angers, frustrations
of their daily living. Those who are involved with psychology call these
talents an escape. I've thought about this and truly, I believe it is more
than that.
An escape is something one
does as a kind of recreation. Talent is more. The study necessary to keep
a person in a forward progress is vital. Through this effort the work
becomes greater than just a joyful outlet or re creation of mind through
play.
Because my talent is
centered around art I can only speak to this. There were many facets to go
into my wishes to become an artist. First of all my parents encouraged me,
especially my father. Artists were always spoken of with great respect and
admiration. The artist's contributions to society into every field was
noted. Art is involved in landscaping, designing cars, decorating homes,
styling hair, creating inventions, architecture, building bridges,
planning highways or many other parts of this civilization and our
attention as children was called to this fact. Dad spoke of these things
as being outstanding accomplishments as far as their being first designed
by an artist.
Mother encouraged me by
seeing to it I had lessons from someone she admired, a Native American
man, who was an artist. Her being of that culture was a contribution too.
These people have a natural inherited training toward appreciation for all
things around them, especially those gifts from Wah Kahn Dah through
nature.
My parents gave me a study
of the scriptures with admiration for the great men who were builders.
There were men like King Solomon, who built the most beautiful temple. The
King Nebuchadnezzer who built the hanging gardens was most admired by my
father. The first Pharaoh of Egypt Dad liked to think of as Adam. Those
creations are still being studied. Just recently I saw on this computer a
study of the angles involved with the pyramids and it is an incredibly
phenomenal demonstration of geometry. The wheel of the prophet, Ezekial,
speaks of many secrets hidden and not yet understood. He talked of the
wheel that had chrysolite and was aglow with electrum. It turned in any
direction and had living spirit in it. There was a wheel within a wheel.
What one's mind could do with that design is incredible. Not to be
forgotten is the knowledge Christopher Columbus had in his study of the
scriptures which spoke of the earth hanging as a circle on nothing,
otherwise we might still be quaking in fear afraid of falling off the edge
of a flat earth.
Many times through my life
it has been a pleasure to observe the talents of many persons, great and
small. On this, one must admit it isn't always the Einstein's of the
world to make the greatest impression. Once I remember seeing an elderly
gentleman who lived as a aging guest in my aunt's small care giver's home.
He kept himself busy with a garden. In that garden he had growing
watermelons. Into each watermelon was a type of hyper dermic needle drip
injecting different flavors into the melons. To me it was exciting to have
a lemonade flavored watermelon, a vanilla watermelon and even a strawberry
flavored watermelon. Was this foolishness or was it genius?
Since the word genius has
come up let us not forget the quote made by some famous person, maybe it
was Edison who said, Genius is 99.9 percent perspiration and one tenth
percent inspiration. |
