Well, I guess you could say I lied about this post. I haven't really had the time to give you 50 more great things. I don't know why you would want to see what I am thankful for anyways. Instead I am going to talk about spiritual gifts. Personal gifts. The gifts you receive are different from everyone else. Often I criticize myself for not being as smart as others or having an obvious calling. Sure, I'm in a program for "academically gifted" kids, but that doesn't mean your're the most intelligent one. There will always be someone better than you at something. This makes me wonder why I even hope. Well, let me tell you a story. I hope it can inspire you as much as it did me.
There is a girl in my class named Sarah* who is good at everything. She has won the school science fair twice and is in the process of going to districts for this year's competition. She even won a prize at states last year. Sarah truly is gifted. Every time I do something, she does it better. She will make her paper longer or the teacher likes it better. There will always be something. It's hard to compare yourself to someone who is good at everything. The craziest part is that she's unbelievably nice. You would think that someone like her would be selfish or stuck up. Honestly, that's how all "academically gifted" kids are thought to be. To us, middle school is just middle school. Relationships are thought highly of and social rankings fill our minds, but there is no interest in school. We just understand concepts easier than other kids. Life is just the opposite for Sarah. There is no way she would get caught up in screwed relationships or popularity. She spends her time studying genetics and pondering philosophy, enjoys anything scientific and lives for mature debates. Sadly, the only people that understand what she's talking about are the teachers. More people would like her if she didn't whisper everything. You can't understand a word when being surrounded by rambunctious kids in a cafeteria who entertain themselves by throwing food at each other. The only thing you can manage to do is nod, smile and pretend you heard every word.
One day, I felt a little braver. Or maybe I was just too curious. I came up to her and asked, "How do you do it?" "What do you mean by that?", she replied. I guess I just thought she would know what I was talking about. "I mean how are you so good at everything?" I asked. "Well," she told me, "I don't know what you mean. I am definitely not good at everything. I just try to be." "Oh," I said, "so there's not a trick? You just know everything already? That seems unfair." I could tell she was confused by then even though she managed to keep a sincere smile on her face. "Actually," she said, "I do have a trick." I don't know what I was anticipating at this point, because it's not like she is a witch. "I have an inspiration." she told me, "It's my brother Timmy*. He has a genetic disability and inspires me to work hard every day. I strive to help others with disabilities after becoming a geneticist." I stood there in awe, trying to let that sink in. "I'm sorry," I said, "I didn't know!" "Oh," she replied, "It's nothing to be sorry about. I love him so much just the way he is." That had made my day. A girl who does everything to the glory of someone bigger than herself. Someone who cares to do the right thing and doesn't let anything get in her way. "I'm so glad he has a sister like you. He should be so proud!" I said, smiling at the gracious being set before me by God. Every since that day, we have become great friends. I have even gotten to meet Timmy since then. I can tell why she loves him so much. A boy like him is very lucky to end up with a family like theirs.
So, I realized that there was passion inside of her. That's what I was missing. Dwelling on how bad I was compared to her got me stuck in a ditch. There was no way out until I got my priorities straight and ducks in a line. That way I could really focus on getting out. Every now and then I look back and ask why I was so concerned, but have to tell myself that I've grown since then. Like Sarah says, "You can't go higher, if you don't start lower."
* name changed for privacy reasons
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