Weekend Assignment 101: Talents

Weekend Assignment #101: Name a talent that you don't have that you wish you did. This can also include talents you have a little bit of, but wish you had more.

Extra credit: Do you have any completely useless talents?

I've always wished I could have the talent for writing and playing music. I'm always hearing music in my head, uncertain of its origin. Sometimes notes from familiar tunes will rearrange themselves and become new tunes and I hum them over and over again until I have it memorized.

Sometimes I'll take the tune I've heard in my head, or one that I have made up entirely with effort, and put words to it.

I have made up lyrics to a song that came to me that way. I call it a parting song. You'll think this is silly, but I sing it to my dogs each morning before I go to work. I could write the words here, but then it would only appear to be a poem. It is a song, and I sing it each morning. Just a ditty, but it's familiar to them. It's a song promising them that I will return. See, silly.

Other tunes I have written lyrics to are based on Bible verses. Two Bible verse songs I wrote last year. I recprded them on my mini-cassette recorder just so I wouldn't forget the tune. Whenever I can't remember it, I play it back and there it is, I can sing it and hum it to my heart's content. Helps me remember the Bible verses, too!

Here are the words to one song I wrote based on Ephesians 5: 1&2:

Be imitators of God,

as dearly loved children.

And live a life of love,

just as Christ loved us,

and gave himself up for us,

a fragrant offering

and sacrifice

 to God.

You see, I've taken the words, and they are nearly word for word from the Book, and put them to music, but you don't have the tune because I don't know how to put it on paper. If I could write music, then anyone could read it and sing it for themselves. I never forget that verse because I can sing it in my head.

I've always thought that if someone were to be taken prisoner (political, or in war), one way they could comfort themselves and thus survive any lengthy separation from their loved ones would be to pray. Even moreso, recalling words of faith, words that  carry strength, resolve, and hope would be a survival strategy. Particularly regarding spiritual survival, for once one gives up hope, the chance of surviving what appears to be a hopeless situation drops quickly. I have never been a political or war prisoner, but I can only imagine that if one didn't have something nourishing in their minds and on their hearts, one would perish from spiritual starvation and loneliness.

For instance, if a person had memorized some Biblical text, recalling familiar and powerful words would give them heart and hope. Yet, you don't have to be a prisoner of war to reap the benefits of memorized scripture, or other words of faith. When you find a verse or passage that speaks to you, that strengthens you, that assures you that God is with you, reminds you how to be a better person, how you are His beloved, how you have been rescued and saved, memorize it. Then, during the work day, when you feel a bit stressed out or chaos seems to surround you, take a moment to recall the words you have committed to your heart. Often when I do this, the rest of the day is more productive for me, and I find myself responding to others with less demands and with more compassion. Literally, it is like having a song in your heart.

Singing the verses I have stored in my heart and memory helps me remember them. A talent I would really love to have is writing music... but, you know, that is a skill that can be learned, so maybe I can look into it!

A completely useless talent? Hmmmm.... I can recognize actors and actresses in a movie, and name all the movies (that I know of) they had a role in.

It can be annoying to go to a movie with me. Sometimes I attempt to make a game of it when we are watching a movie on TV, and I'll ask my husband "Who is that actor?" or "Do  you remember the last movie we saw that he played in?" Completely useless! But I do it anyway.

I'd say that over the past ten years, my husband is getting good at the game. And for the past two years, he's even asked me the questions. "Bea, come here!" he'll call from the living room. "Who's this guy? Do you recognize him?" I'm always game.... I love to play that one. When we disagree, the internet usually resolves any confusion.

One time I cheated before we went to a movie. I did a search to see who was going to be in it, then looked up other movies the main actors had played in. I went prepared to impress my spouse. During the movie, my whispered comments were like little pop-up bubbles with trivia about the actors. Steve acted like he could care less, but I know he was impressed by my incredible memory. 

This is talent particularly useful if a movie turns out to be boring.

What talent would you love to have? Do you have a useless talent?

Write about it, then post a link here or at By The Way where it all started.