If you know me very well, you know that I love watching people do whatever it is in which they excel. I mean I love it. I love watching American Idol because it showcases people with beautiful voices singing songs that show their voices off. I love going to Broadway shows because those people are arguably the most talented people in America. I love watching almost any professional sport (especially the not-so-popular gymnastics) because those people are professional for a reason: they excel at what they do.
The other night I bit the proverbial bullet and bought a ticket to go see Corteo, one of Cirque du Soleil's performances. Holy crap! That was probably the best $40 I've ever spent in my life. I cannot even begin to describe to you what an amazing show that was. It was hands down the most impressive thing any group of humans has ever done in person before my eyes. It was so awesome that it brought about the first ever taboo word to be used on my blog. (It was earlier in this paragraph if you missed it.) Take the picture above and raise it to the 13th power, and then you'll get an idea as to how amazing that show was. A guy did a triple double off a teeter totter. Is that a joke?
Well all this beauty that unfolded before my very eyes (and ears for that matter... amazing live music) inevitably brought to mind my longing to be excellent at something. I think the reason I love watching people excel at things is that I excel at nothing. I'm slightly above average at a few things, and that's about all I've got. There is certainly nothing that I can say I'm excellent at -- or even that I'm becoming excellent at. It kinda stinks.
I don't know how to go about fixing this problem, and I won't try and figure it out with the remainder of this post because if it gets much longer, nobody will read it. Kinda like I do a lot of Brandon's posts. So here's to excellence, and people who possess the ever-desirable trait.
Oh, and if you're in Dallas or Houston, you absolutely need to go see this performance. They're in Dallas through the 11th, and then they're off to Houston. Go!
2.28.2007
excellence
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4 comments:
D.O.,
I feel you on this one big time, I too feel as if I excel at nothing, but am only 'above average' with some things. People have told me otherwise and that it's just a matter of 'perspective', but I don't believe them.
Thomas
Well, at least I'm not the only one feeling that way. However, I will say that no matter how average (or slightly above average) we may be at anything, the Lord has gifted his people in the way he sees fit. Thus, we can only trust that he will use our mediocrity, or he will enhance our gifts as we get older. And...in the end...the glory of God won't be effected by how cool we are.
also...sorry my posts are so long that you lose interest. I probably should be more brief (as evidenced by the above - a.k.a, the longest comment ever left on anyone's blog).
I think we can be excellent in just about anything we choose. Granted, God gifts us in certain areas, but I don't know that he gives us excellence. None of the people you mentioned (singers, athletes, or the AMAZING Cirque du Soleil people) are just excellent because God made them excellent. They worked at it until they were excellent.
I'm certainly not trying to discount the fact that God gifts us in different ways. But I think we spend too much time trying to find an area where excellence comes easy for us, and I don't think excellence will ever be easy.
But that doesn't mean we're not called to be excellent.
On the flip side, praise God you're not satisfied, as many are, with mediocrity. But that's a whole different post.
... and I agree everyone should see a Cirque show live!
d.o.,
i'm not sure if you know me or not, but i just saw corteo in dallas for my birthday, and it was SOOO GREAT. :) oh boy. makes me smile just to think about it. wonderful for my imagination. i liked the little lady attached to balloons who floated over the crowd.
my sister was a gymnast, and one of the guys in the cirque use to tumble with her. he IS extremely talented, but @ the same time he's just a regular ol' guy.
i dont think that all excellence has to be loud. and you've got the desire ... i think that's a good start!
the end.
another ghost reader steps forward. :)
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