identity exercise: talented

I've not really thought of myself as talented, per se.  I see myself as pretty mediocre.  It's not that I'm ungrateful for my abilities.  I just don't think I'm that good at anything.  I don't think it's a case of comparison, though I do see that others are much better than me at any "talent" I might possess.  I'm properly impressed by the talent of others but I don't particularly envy anyone or wish for their talent for myself.  I'm happy with my own gifts such as they are, simply because I enjoy them.

Probably first on the list is music.  I've loved to sing since I was a wee girl and naturally picked out harmonies from a very early age.  I didn't realize it was a gift until I became a mother and heard my own children sing.  It took much longer for them to come into tune!  I also enjoy playing guitar, though I get most enjoyment playing by myself rather than for anyone.  I learned bass guitar in my 40s, and love the idea of "rocking out" as a hip oldster. 😂

I've written since I was very young as well.  I wasn't a real story writer or anything, but I enjoyed writing stories and poetry in creative writing class, and I started journaling when I was ten and never looked back.  Through the years I've continued to process life through writing and I have also written for others in the form of devotionals and stories.  It's nothing breath-taking, but it's me.

I like drawing in the form of doodling, and I like dabbling with paint as well.  These are art forms in which I've had no formal training but I fake my way through and often come out with something I kind of like.  It's fun to give my doodling away as gifts.

I learned fabric arts such as crocheting and quilting in my early adulthood.  Again, these are things I like to do as gifts.  I'm not particularly good at either of them but I enjoy them and it makes me happy to give handmade things away.

So yeah, I play around with a lot of different things, but I don't think I'm particularly talented at anything.  I appreciate being able to bring happiness and enjoyment to other people with the unremarkable gifts that I have.  This brings me joy.