“One must dedicate everything in the service of the Lord. If one is a learned scholar, scientist, philosopher, poet, etc., then he should employ his learning to establish the supremacy of the Lord. Try to study the energy of the Lord in every sphere of life. Do not decry Him and try to become like Him or take His position simply by fragmental accumulation of knowledge.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.5.32)
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1. Typing
“What classes are you taking next year? I know that you get a few electives. Oh, you don’t want to continue with typing? I think you should reconsider. I have never seen someone as talented as you, and I have been teaching this class for years.
“I understand that in the advanced course next year you might be the only male student, but don’t worry about that. Focus on your work. The extra time dedicated to the craft will do you wonders in the future. Digital is the future, and the more comfortable you are on the keyboard, in conveying your thoughts, inputting data, modifying existing work and so forth, the better off you will be. You will have a tremendous advantage over your peers.”
2. Oration
“Do you see how well she speaks? No one can inspire an audience the way that she does. There is no competition; she not only knows public policy inside and out, she could sit and discuss raising children with you for hours. She has six of her own, and she has managed to stay home with them while keeping up with these public engagements.
“She should really run for office. You don’t want a talent like that to go to waste. She is the best spokesperson for our side, for representing the common person. They need help, as the forces of evil are aligned against everything we hold dear, such as family, religion and country.”
3. Excellence in sports
“You should enroll your child in some sort of organized sports. Not right now, but as soon as this madness ends where they are forcefully restricting the breathing of our children, without any scientific basis, in the name of keeping people safe or whatever.
“Seriously, though, children that young don’t typically do so well at kicking a ball or swimming. Yours is a natural, it seems. Encourage them, if they have interest, but don’t be one of those overbearing parents. Kids like these come along once in a generation, and it would be a shame if the rest of the world didn’t get to see that talent in action.”
4. High scores in math
“There are three primary math courses offered in high school where we live. They are in sequential order, with a state exam at the end of each year. Well, one student got a perfect score on all three examinations. Not one mistake; think about that.
“I think they are the next great physicist or doctor. The world could use good people in those fields. It would be a shame if such a person fell into bad sorts, through lethargy, depression, or alcohol addiction. Keep them engaged, challenge them to strive for more, and they will make the most of their God-given abilities.”
5. Endurance in the water
“Seriously, I have never seen someone so comfortable in the water. They can dive ten to twenty feet down, pick up weighted objects, and bring them back to the surface. They are not scared in the slightest. That is remarkable endurance, the likes of which would cause the military to take notice. We need heroic people in those demanding roles, where they can complete secret missions to further the national interest.”
…
This is just a small sampling, as each individual has a unique genius inside of them. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada says, on the foundation of shastra, that such abilities should be used in establishing the supremacy of God, the one Almighty.
The statement is required since there is a strong possibility that the ability gets used in other, unprofitable ways. For instance, if I am a quick learner, sharp in intellect, I might get carried away to the point that I think I am smarter than everyone else, including those who believe in God.
If I have extraordinary strength, I might think that I could be the strongest person in the world, that no one will defeat me in a fair fight. As the universe is vast and complex, I could spend many lifetimes chasing the elusive post of greatest in the world, only to fall flat on my face in failure.
There is no compelling reason to compete with the Almighty, who is known as Krishna since He is all-attractive. He is not in competition with us, and neither does He intend to bring us down to earth, to humble us, if we should have issues with the false ego.
Rather, He knows that He is the topmost person, Purushottama, and so our natural position is to serve Him in love and devotion. Whatever outstanding abilities we receive are gifts from Him, benedictions in fortune. The goddess of fortune, Lakshmi Devi, dedicates her entire life to pleasing her husband, the Supreme Lord as Narayana.
Any fortune descending to us has the identical ideal purpose. Otherwise, the valuable time in the human birth is spoiled, as to what avail is a losing battle waged even with the sincerest effort and most focused intensity? On the other side, even a few seconds spent in glorifying the Lord will do me a world of good: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
In Closing:
Woman of oration exceptional,
Focus work and family bidirectional.
Another an expert in typing field,
A maestro with keyboard to wield.
Whatever ability found,
Ideal when used to sound.
Glories of God and to know,
That forever the greatest so.
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