Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Of Talents and Paths

This morning, both Cuppa and I were each in a wee bit of a dither but for different reasons.

My iPod earbuds were hopelessly caught and tangled in the slots of my chair-side table, and I was rather flummoxed over the situation.

Meanwhile, after doing some banking, Cuppa wanted to clear the cache on her computer but couldn't figure out how to do it, even after I demonstrated the steps on my machine.

So, we switched tasks. She took care of the earbud mess, and I took care of flushing the cache. Both of us accomplished our switched tasks in no time flat. In a minute or so, we were both done rather than each of us dithering on our own for an interminable and frustrating duration.

It turns out that it's pretty well true that we little people are good at what we're good at and not so good at what we're not so good at. I have said it more bluntly: we're all smart how we're smart, and we're all stupid how we're stupid. I suppose the trick is to to recognize this little truism and to be comfortable in our strengths without getting overly disconcerted by our weaknesses.

This is yet another reason why I am happy to live in the times in which I live. I didn't have to follow in my father's footsteps or the the path prescribed to me by the caste into which I was born, but I was able to find a life path that suited me.

I am particularly glad that I didn't have to follow in my grandfather's vocation, for he was a bricklayer who worked on skyscrapers, including The Empire State Building. Me? I get queasy and wobbly just a few rungs up a ladder.

12 comments:

Lorna said...

Behind every successful man....

Hilary said...

That would have been a nasty path to follow. I don't like heights either.

I like that Cuppa was able to untangle your ear buds.. and that you paid her with cache. ;)

Diana said...

As Harry Calahan said "A Man's Gotta Know His Limitations", as does a woman!! Love Di ♥

Tossing Pebbles in the Stream said...

This story reflects a different understanding of that romantic seductive phrase, "you complete me".

Without being cruel their is the line that it takes "two half wits to make a complete wit". I know that is not the case in your house.

Ginnie said...

It's wonderful that you two can see your weaknesses and let the other one take over. So many couples would never admit defeat and it would make for a messy life.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

To each his own skills and special talents, AC

Pearl said...

sounds like a good way to be. I'd be a lousy empire state building. I only learned this week that my grandmother (who died in the 50s) and great-grandmother were both teachers. I guess I came by it honestly, so long as I did it.

Regenia said...

Interestingly, that is exactly the way it would have played out for my husband and me.

I've always thought it is good for teenagers to learn what they are NOT good at, long before they graduate. It is a healthy thing to know and accept, what you aren't good at!

Ruth said...

Sometimes I think we have to be good at too many different things to get along in our complex world.

Donna said...

Yep, I'll Bet it was Cuppa's suggestion to switch task....Hahaaa...smart girl!

Ps- I not stoopid...Lolol

hughugs

Jinksy said...

Says everything about knowing how to work together in harmony! :)

Kila said...

"we're all smart how we're smart, and we're all stupid how we're stupid" -- love this :)

I'd like to be like my grandpa--he traveled all the time for a living, even joining the circus as a teenager!