It’s taken me awhile to get my thoughts together on this. And this may or may not be an answer.
I think I disagree with the statement: “In their heart-of-hearts, the majority of people know what their talents are.”
I’m not saying that I have a special perspective on this because I’ve been an inner-city teacher, but I’d like to put forth some thoughts about talents. Having seen, up close, the school lives (and some home lives) of the underprivileged children I taught, it almost seems to me that attention to and the nurturing of talents is something only the well-off/educated can attend to. A single welfare mother with five children and one on the way doesn’t even have the word ‘talent’ in her vocabulary, for herself, or her children. She doesn’t have the time, energy (physical or emotional) to observe whether or not her children have talents, and she certainly doesn’t have the time (and money—yes, money) to nurture those talents.
Case in point, the aforementioned Jacob.
Case in point, Dakota—that even in the horror show of my last year as a teacher, I saw as an incredibly gifted child—a singer, a potential actress, artistic, but an incredibly troubled and angry child, a horror in my classroom. The music teacher at School #69, Laura Bartelomeo, put together a wonderful Motown musical medley for the 5/6 choir. Dakota had a solo. She told me several times during the morning that her uncle was coming to see her…then…around 11 o’clock, she began asking me if she could call and see if he was coming. I let her call twice, and then after that, I said no. I let her call one more time, with 15 minutes until show time… No one came. No one saw her sing Diana Ross’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”…I still get tears in my eyes jut thinking about it.
Of course, we read all the time about artists/performers who came from very deprived backgrounds, but how does that happen? It happens when a teacher, a mentor, a philanthropist of some sort notices him or her and gives him or her the attention needed to create.
So maybe talents are like dreams…we have them as children, schools and teachers encourage us to identify what makes us special…but when the pressures of the adult world, the day-to-day struggle to survive, we slowly devolve into an existence where the world acts up on us (and we react and struggle to just survive) instead of us acting on the world like the creative among us do….
Friday, January 9, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Someone I Love
I have to write about someone I love. Someone who understands me. Who listens and helps me think it all through. Someone who has told me that I never have to lie. Someone who always has time for me--whenever and wherever. Who is content to let me grow at my own speed and never pushes me to a decision before I'm ready to decide. Who supports me right or wrong and has complete faith in me. Someone who defends me. Who cares about ME for who I am. Someone who has listened to my happinesses and survived my sadnesses. That I trust and respect. Someone that I listen to in return, and whose counsel and advice I can truly trust. Someone who sees more in me than I see in myself.
I can only hope that I am as much to you as you are to me.
I can only hope that I am as much to you as you are to me.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Talents--a pondering response
This is...well, not so much a response...as some pondering about a post in another blog I read (Eternal Lizdom):
And it's all got me thinking about talent. About passion. About recognizing what we bring to the table. It's a simple enough question. What are your talents? But it's a question that so many have difficulty answering. Because to answer it honestly may indicate pridefulness. But I, of course, disagree. I believe we were given our gifts and talents with a purpose. To use them. To share them. I'm not saying we should be running around bragging. But I think there is no shame in recognizing what you are good at. What you take pride in. But what if you don't know what your talents are? This kind of baffles me. I've known at least some of my talents for most of my life so I can't imagine not knowing. What if you are going day to day, not knowing what you really excel at? What gifts you bring to those around you? Is it that you truly don't know? Or is it that you refuse to see something so positive about yourself? What is holding you back from recognizing something you do well? My talents? In no particular order... Singing, listening, advising, writing. What are your talents? You have full permission to brag on yourself.
Interesting food for thought. I used to assign a journal topic like this to my students. They didn't know what their talents were. So I changed it to "What are you an expert at?" This, they were able to answer. They were experts at video games, singing, football...
Maybe this is best addressed by me as what I THINK I'm talented at:
1) Directing Plays
On any given night, I can leave rehearsal with a smile, thinking that I really am a good director, a good leader. Or I can leave rehearsal thinking that I've screwed up again, I don't really know what I'm doing, I'm just a hack. So...directing is my sometimes talent, I guess. I KNOW I'm a good director with the kids, but I'm not so sure that my directing successes with the adults are anything more than just a fluke.
2) Writing
Mmmm. No one has made me question my writing skills. I know I'm a pretty good writer. I don't know that I could ever make my living at it--though people have suggested it. I like writing. If I had it to do over again, I would go back to school for journalism. I KNOW I can write.
3) Organizing and Planning
This I can do, too--from organizing an entire children's theatre group to planning events to scheduling a weekend trip. THIS I can do.
But, are there people who don't know what their talents are? I think so. The students I've had in class. They don't know what their talents are, and if no one nurtures them, they may never know what their talents are. I remember Jacob Woodard--a very talented artist. He came back to visit me when he was in high school and I asked him about his art. He wasn't even taking an art class. A talent undeveloped, un-nurtured.
I can't talk about talents without talking about the people around me: my husband and my two boys. But, this post grows long. That will be for another day. :-)
And it's all got me thinking about talent. About passion. About recognizing what we bring to the table. It's a simple enough question. What are your talents? But it's a question that so many have difficulty answering. Because to answer it honestly may indicate pridefulness. But I, of course, disagree. I believe we were given our gifts and talents with a purpose. To use them. To share them. I'm not saying we should be running around bragging. But I think there is no shame in recognizing what you are good at. What you take pride in. But what if you don't know what your talents are? This kind of baffles me. I've known at least some of my talents for most of my life so I can't imagine not knowing. What if you are going day to day, not knowing what you really excel at? What gifts you bring to those around you? Is it that you truly don't know? Or is it that you refuse to see something so positive about yourself? What is holding you back from recognizing something you do well? My talents? In no particular order... Singing, listening, advising, writing. What are your talents? You have full permission to brag on yourself.
Interesting food for thought. I used to assign a journal topic like this to my students. They didn't know what their talents were. So I changed it to "What are you an expert at?" This, they were able to answer. They were experts at video games, singing, football...
Maybe this is best addressed by me as what I THINK I'm talented at:
1) Directing Plays
On any given night, I can leave rehearsal with a smile, thinking that I really am a good director, a good leader. Or I can leave rehearsal thinking that I've screwed up again, I don't really know what I'm doing, I'm just a hack. So...directing is my sometimes talent, I guess. I KNOW I'm a good director with the kids, but I'm not so sure that my directing successes with the adults are anything more than just a fluke.
2) Writing
Mmmm. No one has made me question my writing skills. I know I'm a pretty good writer. I don't know that I could ever make my living at it--though people have suggested it. I like writing. If I had it to do over again, I would go back to school for journalism. I KNOW I can write.
3) Organizing and Planning
This I can do, too--from organizing an entire children's theatre group to planning events to scheduling a weekend trip. THIS I can do.
But, are there people who don't know what their talents are? I think so. The students I've had in class. They don't know what their talents are, and if no one nurtures them, they may never know what their talents are. I remember Jacob Woodard--a very talented artist. He came back to visit me when he was in high school and I asked him about his art. He wasn't even taking an art class. A talent undeveloped, un-nurtured.
I can't talk about talents without talking about the people around me: my husband and my two boys. But, this post grows long. That will be for another day. :-)
Okay. Resolutions
In the days leading up to New Year's Eve, I didn't think I had any resolutions. I didn't think I really wanted to mess with that, but I think I do have some:
1) Pay more attention to my family.
but I want to improve on it. I'm more tuned in tune with the kids than I have been in years. I could regret that I haven't gotten to this place before, but there's no point in it. I can only move forward. The Theatre Express that guides...nay, runs our lives is sometimes ruthless and cruel. I hope they can forgive me...I hope I can make it up.
2) Be creative in other ways.
Touching on the topic of talents. I think I've been given more than my share. Yes,there's theatre. But I also love writing...and making things. This blog has been a good start. The gifts I made for the holidays were another. What is this human preoccupation with wanting to leave traces of ourselves behind? Although I continually see the fingerprint of theatre on my KidsPlay kids, it's intangible. I'd like to leave something behind besides just my gravestone.
3) Get the damn credit cards paid down.
We're basically on one salary now. I'm in charge of the spending and bills. GET the credit cards paid down, so we can use them in an emergency...like when our gold appliances that came with the house decide to breath their last breath, or for new carpeting, or a car for Charlie. Sigh.
4) Lose ten pounds.
Okay, whatever. Us teeny people worry about our weight, too. 105 pounds seems like a lot to me.
5) Read more.
And not just scripts. It took me two years to read The Living Great Lakes. That's just ridiculous.
And that's probably more than I can possibly manage. With me unemployed, 2009 is going to be a different kind of a year, I'm sure. Let's make it the best so far. So far.
1) Pay more attention to my family.
but I want to improve on it. I'm more tuned in tune with the kids than I have been in years. I could regret that I haven't gotten to this place before, but there's no point in it. I can only move forward. The Theatre Express that guides...nay, runs our lives is sometimes ruthless and cruel. I hope they can forgive me...I hope I can make it up.
2) Be creative in other ways.
Touching on the topic of talents. I think I've been given more than my share. Yes,there's theatre. But I also love writing...and making things. This blog has been a good start. The gifts I made for the holidays were another. What is this human preoccupation with wanting to leave traces of ourselves behind? Although I continually see the fingerprint of theatre on my KidsPlay kids, it's intangible. I'd like to leave something behind besides just my gravestone.
3) Get the damn credit cards paid down.
We're basically on one salary now. I'm in charge of the spending and bills. GET the credit cards paid down, so we can use them in an emergency...like when our gold appliances that came with the house decide to breath their last breath, or for new carpeting, or a car for Charlie. Sigh.
4) Lose ten pounds.
Okay, whatever. Us teeny people worry about our weight, too. 105 pounds seems like a lot to me.
5) Read more.
And not just scripts. It took me two years to read The Living Great Lakes. That's just ridiculous.
And that's probably more than I can possibly manage. With me unemployed, 2009 is going to be a different kind of a year, I'm sure. Let's make it the best so far. So far.
The 24 Days of Putting-Stuff-Away
All of my holiday entertaining is officially over. The Fam Damily was here for thee hours on the 21st; my Hand-Picked Family was here on January 3rd. We enjoyed a clean and decorated house (over the the 24-Days-of-Putting-Stuff-Up).
And now it's time to start the 24-Days-of-Putting-Stuff-Away. This is my plan to make taking down the Christmas decorations as painless as possible. I will put away one decoration every day and soon--by maybe mid-February--all the Christmas decorations will be down and put away.
That is, of course, unless I decide to embark on the 350 Days-of-Taking-Down-the-Tree. Same strategy: take down one ornament at a time until they're all safely wrapped in tissue paper and stored in the ornament box. :-) Why not? We have an artificial tree this year, so there's no hurry. We may end up enjoying our tree year 'round at this rate.
Happy Holidays, everyone!
And now it's time to start the 24-Days-of-Putting-Stuff-Away. This is my plan to make taking down the Christmas decorations as painless as possible. I will put away one decoration every day and soon--by maybe mid-February--all the Christmas decorations will be down and put away.
That is, of course, unless I decide to embark on the 350 Days-of-Taking-Down-the-Tree. Same strategy: take down one ornament at a time until they're all safely wrapped in tissue paper and stored in the ornament box. :-) Why not? We have an artificial tree this year, so there's no hurry. We may end up enjoying our tree year 'round at this rate.
Happy Holidays, everyone!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
my greatest fear...
The paparazzi are in John Travolta's face... He looked terrible. Please god, let me never lose a child. A sorrow that would color every breath you take the rest of your days on this earth, a nightmare from which you'd never wake up.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Not a Very Good Start to the Year
Oh, I'm falling behind with my blogging. I want to write about resolutions, and go back and revisit Liz's interesting topics of "Talents" and "What Makes a Friend". I need to write about the progress of the show, and good friends, the Venus Flytraps (Audrey and Biolonte) that just moved in with us...but I've discovered FaceBook...and lost, all is lost...
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