Is Talent a Needle in a Haystack?

I recently had a discussion with a peer regarding athletes who had either served time for crimes that they committed or were guilty of immoral activity, especially extramarital affairs. Sports is a form of entertainment, nothing more and nothing less. The admiration that one has towards a team or individual player is based on what one sees and perceives; not what he or she does in his or her private life. We admire accomplishments that we see, and look up to the people who do good in the public eye but are sometimes horrible family people and have bad habits that society has deemed unacceptable.

We often find ourselves fascinated by people performing to the best of their abilities, which makes me wonder what is it that makes us so happy about these spectacles? We pay to see people do their jobs: we go to the movies, plays, comic shows, watch sports, while we complain about the work that we do that nobody really pays to see. In fact, we usually work for people who don't show their thanks, unless something amazing happens.

Being inspired by watching one person pursue his/her dream is what motivates us. It makes us want to find our talents, to play to our strengths. We also need to be playing to the sources of our personal greatness: what truly fuels our hearts.

I started out talking about one's image, and the way that people are perceived. Performers, athletes and public figures no matter how much money they are making, or who is watching them are generally following their hearts and pursuing their dreams. What goes on behind closed doors should make it easier to decipher the good people from the talented people. It's rare to find both, but if and hopefully when you do, well, that's just fabulous.

close your mouth and let me eat: what goes in me shouldn't affect you

Everyone else was perplexed but me at yesterday's Labor Day barbecue. Once again, one of the biggest barbecue days of the year fell out on a Monday, a day that I consciously do not eat animal products in observance of Meat Free Mondays. I enjoy the “concerned” conversations that people start with me regarding my dietary choices, especially when I’m enjoying perfectly grilled fresh peppers without a bun (I don’t eat the bun because of my sensitivity to wheat).

Of course everyone has their opinions and questions about my dietary restrictions and preferences. Let it be known that I do enjoy meat and animal products, and my reasons for not eating animal products one day a week is quite simple, healthy and has some positive affect on the environment. I did nothing to demand attention. I wasn’t broadcasting my requirements, I was merely adapting to the available foods such as potato chips, vegetables, and some white wine. Somehow people kept approaching me and basically my entire gastrointestinal life story came out freely because I wasn’t embarrassed or afraid to show people that feeling well is paramount to “enjoyment” of foods that make me feel crappy – pun totally intended.

Not eating wheat or dairy is not challenging, dealing with people who are flummoxed by my restrictions is the biggest challenge that I actually embrace. I see it as an opportunity to educate people about the prevalence and growing amounts of diagnoses of food allergies and sensitivities. Additionally, my meat-free Mondays have become a great topic of conversation with people who have never heard of it – I start out by telling people that meat-free Monday is something that Paul McCartney started (it gives it a lot more credibility off the bat). I realize that my choices my sound different to some, but I truly enjoy my eating habits and feel AMAZING when I stick to the foods that I am able to eat while avoiding the foods that poison my body.