Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Share Your Gifts

“Sin is humanity’s refusal to be who we are.”- Rabbi Abraham Herschel, June 21st entry from The Reflective Counselor: Daily Meditations for Lawyers, by Coffey & Kessler

Coffey and Kessler distinguish between modeling valued and noble characteristics of those we admire and taking on another’s personality and style while neglecting our own unique qualities, strengths and talents. I believe this is an important distinction. We learn so much from our mentors, heroes and others we admire. At the same time, each of us has gifts of our own to offer the world.

Whether in your professional or personal life, if you hide your gifts because you're trying to be like someone else, the world loses out, and so do you. In my opinion, the challenge is to find your own way of weaving the qualities you admire in others into your own unique qualities, strengths, talents and vision. And, sometimes you have to accept that you can't be or do it all. You can appreciate and enjoy others' qualities and gifts while being true to yours, which may be very different.