I couldn’t draft or build a mall from the ground up. I could probably barely erect a birdhouse with these hands. I couldn’t pour out a box of toothpicks and count them in seconds without touching and organizing them. I couldn’t write musical parts for 50 different musicians and 20 different instruments for a symphony orchestra. I couldn’t hook up your lighting in your new home, safely anyway. I couldn’t take off, fly or land a 747 jumbo jet, again, safely at any rate.

Yes, there’s a lot I can’t do. Or can I?? I’m saying if I really wanted to.

I guess there’s a divide between someone’s passion or gift, what I would consider a person’s God given built-in gift that comes naturally and is what you enjoy doing the most in this life… and working at an area hard enough and with a great degree of focus is one able to master something, yet not born into it. Let me further explain.

For me, writing comes naturally. I took a very brief time of lessons in the musical field but was able to at the beginning, as I am now, pick up virtually any instrument and write a song. With writing stories or organizing thoughts on paper I’ve always had the same kind of fluidity. I didn’t try hard at all in school and did quite poorly in several core subjects but English always came easy. Therefore, it is a gift that I need to be using, instead of something I want to be good at so I’ve put years of hardcore work and time into developing this trait or skill.

For quite a few years I worked with small children in family day homes and other children’s programs. I was great at it and put in the time and energy to learn how to excel in it. I surrounded myself with similar people and learnt from them, all the while improving on my skills as a caregiver and nurturer, as well as a better single father.

Was it a gift? Was I this good at not only parenting my own children but others as well?? Or was I thrust into the parenting role, embraced it ‘cuz I adored my kids so much, chose to go the extra mile by educating like crazy and therefore I simply chose that path and career, built from the ground up instead of just a natural gift instilled in me at birth?

Now I’m confused. See, my father wasn’t anything of the father I am. Ultimately, shouldn’t I care less or suck at the role? Or maybe everybody is born with great parenting instincts… it makes sense God would create us with that in our DNA.

Gifts. Traits. Skills. DNA. We’re all born with all of the above and what we aren’t born with, we learn. Does a garbage man have trash compaction in his life blood? I’d suggest it’s a learnt trait but then I’m not that guy. Can a bodybuilder just use his gift but not put work or effort into what he does? It’s the hard work and dedication that really seals the deal here, no matter how passionate about muscle he was at age 5.

The human body, mind and spirit are amazing, and especially when they’re in sync. We all have gifts that need to be exercised daily, because if not sharpened they start to slip away. And the things you really see yourself as being but don’t come super naturally and involves elbow work? Persevere and keep on going. You will obtain your goals.

Combining the two is even better! My natural ability to write, compounded with my vision of myself as a writer for network television as well as movies has me utilizing both my gift, and throwing in the ground work involved in getting me where I want (and see!) myself propels me more than ever.

The rest is up to you.