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Talent must not be wasted. Those who have it…must share it. – Frank Sinatra, letter to Los Angeles Times, September 1990
Frank Sinatra needs no introduction. Today’s Thought comes from a Letter to the Editor he wrote to the Times after their Calendar section did a cover story on how recently-deceased George Michael, then a 27-yard-old pop star, was doing all he can to avoid the “…tragedy of fame“. The letter is pure Sinatra, and, among other things, takes Michael to task for wanting “to quit doing what tons of gifted youngsters would shoot grandma for“.
One of the earliest lessons I remember learning is that all of us can do something well. All we have to do is look inside us to find out what that is. You are reading this because writing is my talent and I am determined not to waste it. I write so you will remember it the rest of your life because, otherwise, what’s the point?
Talent must not be wasted.
What’s your talent and where will your talent take you? Will it allow you to raise happy, well-adjusted family? Will it take you a successful professional career? Will it lead to a satisfying avocation? Will your talent, combined with the requisite amount of work and luck – both good and bad – allow you to live down the ages like Frank Sinatra?
It’s of no particular consequence. There are billions of people on this planet and where your talent leads you is sometimes out of your hands because life is nothing more than a collection of billions of random experiences. But if you utilize the gifts you were born with, fortune will take you exactly where you are meant to go. All you have to do is let it.
Those who have it…must share it
We have obligation to ourselves and eveyrone else to get the most out of the talents we were issued. Only when we get the full measure out of our talents, only when we are making our time serve us instead of merely serving time on this planet, will we be of any use to ourselves or our fellow beings.
The Thought for the Day runs occasionally. Quotes are from Gaylon’s private stock and all commentary is original.
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