So you think you can dance?

I have a dear friend whose husband admittedly has ADD. He’s the best natured guy and the most generous guy too. He laughs a lot and makes others laugh and he’s compassionate to the needs of the local downtrodden. He runs a successful company and has even casually said that, in itself, that is a miracle—because of his ADD. But now and again you will observe that he is a very deep person, very full of knowledge and wisdom. There have been times when the thoughts that have come out of his mouth leave you pondering and speechless.

On the other hand, I once knew a musician. A girl who could sing like an angel, play guitar and dance like a house on fire. She was beautiful, fit, and she knew it. She seemed adept at finding opportunities to seize the moment to impress us with all her gifts and abilities— as if tap dancing while playing concert violin and singing opera concurrently.

She was clearly a WOW! No one doubted it. But at some point it began to dawn on those around her that the talent was the bulk of this young woman’s repertoire. Where was the depth? Where was the personable character and the warmth towards others? It gradually became clear that her substance was more about “show.“

Returning to the friends I mentioned previously, one time I did a small favor for them, nothing that put me out, something that was within my skill set that I was happy to do for them. End of story. But it wasn’t. To express their family’s appreciation, this friend asked me for a prioritized list of potential repairs that needed to be done at my place. Voila! Being the recipient of home repairs as simple as a door knob being replaced, a sink that now drained and a new screen door resulted in truly heartfelt joy on my part.

I love to observe and enjoy the talents that people have been given. Seeing them operate in their strengths and giftedness is inspiring. But give me the real deal any day.

Surround yourself with the real deal when at all possible. And when you yourself are ready to get real think about how you, just by being the real you, can impact, move, and support other people. It’s what makes the world go ‘round.