Friday 3 August 2018

August 3, 2018 Chautauqua


Beth's Ponderings

   We act like we live in a “one-size fits all” world and we are all “one-size,” but we aren’t.

   For instance, did you know that the concept of 20/20 vision was based on the quality of sight of one individual, and we’ve ALL been measured by that standard ever since.  There is no basis for 20/20 being any better, or any worse for that matter, than any other standard for sight.

   Our keyboard layouts are based on a single individual’s idea of what letters we use the most, based on the particular words that were used the most, during a certain period in time, and in a specific line of work, and the perceived necessity of that time to slow down typists so the early manual typewriters wouldn’t jam.

   And let’s not forget all the diet/health/fitness/fashion “standards” that we are all supposed to strive for and meet, even though we all have different body structures and colouring, as well as abilities to move and function.

   I’ve been having a lot of conversations this year around creativity and talent - mostly by people who feel that they are NOT creative or talented as it seems our society defines, and applies, those two words so narrowly.

   I even had a woman tell me that her husband, an engineer, couldn’t be creative no matter how hard he tried...yet, she then went onto say that he was able to take her ideas about something she wanted made or changed around their home and he could easily make it into reality for her.  I don’t know about you, but in my books that man is FULL of talent and creativity!

   Every single one of us - no matter what our age, gender, size, shape, or abilities - is creative and talented at something.  We are not all - because we are not all “one-sized” - able to do everything exactly the same as others, or in the same areas of life, but we can all do at least one thing (if not more) extremely well. 


   And being creative and talented means that we do what we do best in a way that makes it easy and effortless for us.

Beth


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