A gift in your hands is like owning a piece of jewelry. Being talented is like having a gem. Many may get attracted to it though you may mistakenly misinterpret as attraction to you. Many may flock after you because of what is in your hands. If the jewelry changes hands, they will change their following!
Sometimes, the most gifted people are exposed to the worst of dangers. Many people walk into their lives chasing after what is in their hands…not that which is in their hearts. Many a times, others cash in on their influence. They hang around them because of their fame. They feign smiles just to get what they want.
That gift that may make you wanted is the same gift that may leave you shattered. The talent that makes you feel pampered is that same possession that may always leave you lonely. When you tend to get all the attention because of your amazing skills, don’t get all excited. The attention may only last as long as those skills last.
Gifts, like every possession, attract friends; both good and bad ones. Your gifts will particularly attract sycophants. Our talents oftentimes attract others who especially badly need us only as long as we have those talents. Watch out!
Like a magnet, talent attracts all manner of people. It is at this point that one should be utterly careful who they entrust what to. Not everyone who walks into our lives should stay. Others should just pass through. A fan should not necessarily be a friend!
Sometimes, though our gifts may seem to glow, we don’t grow any much because of the characters we have kept around us. We have given permanent accommodation to people who should have stayed just temporarily. Your talent will always attract all sorts of characters but not all of them are meant to stay. Sieve them!
It is sometimes, if not oftentimes, a danger to be gifted. Gift zone is danger zone. One has to be on the lookout when they get all the attention shone on their gifts. You are not your gift and your gift is not you. Who you are is you character. What you have is your gift!
When we have people praising our gifts to the heavens, we ought to resist the urge of being swollen-headed. A man’s weakest point is when he measures his self-worth according to what others think about him.
Back in class three, I had a friend. He was the tallest in class; somewhat the most famous, too. Guess what. He always had a dirty shirt because he was almost always responsible for cleaning the blackboard. His height which was supposed to be an advantage was now his disadvantage!
As if that was not enough, he was in charge of anything the short ones were excused from. Though all the beautiful girls fawned over him, it was just because he could use his height to protect them!
Sometimes, your advantage can be your biggest disadvantage. Your gift can be your ugliest nightmare. Thing is, many people may fall in love with your gifts… but not you. Many suitors may fall in love with what you have… but not who you are. Little wonder many celebrity marriages are as short lasting as Chinese products!
The danger of being gifted is that you will attract masses who may only walk in to have a piece of your gift. They will want to reap from your influence. They will make money off it. They will give you all the attention because your gift is getting all the attention, too. As soon as that gift ceases to shine like before, they disappear to chase after their next victim.
You may be as strong as Samson but may only attract Delilahs who only want you for what you have. You may be multi-gifted as David but your friends around may only be who they are because of the privileges that come with being associated with you.
Every gift can be a danger. Isn’t it an irony that gifted people who are supposed to find true love easily instead barely find it? Isn’t it ironical that those who are supposed to have the largest following sometimes feel depressed and lonely? The supposed true love turns ugly when all the public attention is gone.
Love others for their personality… not ability. Love them for who they are… not what they have. Who they are, they will always be. What they have, however, only time will tell. True love pays attention to character. Pretense pays attention to gifts.
Are you gifted? Are you talented? May you never be like my tall friend who was only needed when his gifts were needed— tall but always with a dirty shirt— all famous but always all lonely.
May the Lord deliver you from evil; from people who badly need only what you have… but not who you are. Flee from others who only accept you because of your gifts. Your gifts you may not always have… but you’ll always be who you are.
Always know that what you have is not who you are. Cheers!
By Kobina Ansah
The writer is a playwright and Chief Scribe of Scribe Communications (www.scribecommltd.com). His new play, TRIBELESS, is next weekend, Sept. 16/17, at the Drama Studio, Legon.