Talent Skill Expertise

Most everybody has specialties, areas of special knowledge and experience where we are particularly skillful, perhaps even an expert. We usually come to this through training, such as piano lessons, but I believe there is an in born predisposition towards certain things deep within us. If the piano touches us somewhere deeply, there is a good chance we will enjoy the lessons and become quite good at it, perhaps become a virtuoso. If it really doesn't touch us, no amount of training can ever makes us great, or so I believe. We must, as Joseph Campbell said, "Follow our bliss". Should we be fortunate enough to find that strand of bliss and follow it earnestly, we may become quite talented, and the results can be amazing, as well as rewarding and fruitful. Woe be to those who never find their bliss, ignore it, or try to follow too many paths to be great at one or a few. The question is, have you found you bliss? If not, where can you find it? Is it hiding in your childhood, a class or teacher you had, or a hobby set aside or lost? If you do know your bliss, do you follow it? If not, why not? When organizations such as charities or churches ask for help, they often ask if you can contribute your time, talent, or treasure. And in a way, our talent is our treasure. The trick is not to have buried treasure! Dig it up, share it, and put it to work for yourself and those who need it whether it is family, friends or strangers. In these difficult times, we all need all the help we can get. And if you can follow your bliss to grow your talent and treasure, what better place to spend your time?