Monday, March 05, 2012

My Secret Talent

I always admire people who can sing or dance... their talents are so visible.  When I was growing up, our family didn't pursue after school activities.   While other kids did sports, dance, or play musical instruments, I hid out in the treehouse spying on the neighborhood.  

I was convinced up until the age of 18 that I was destined to be an Olympic Champion Ice Skater.  I'd never tried it, but I just *knew* it was my destiny.  If only my parents had let me take lessons, I would have gone straight to the top.  Then when I was 18, I tried Ice Skating multiple times.... I was terrible at it.  Maybe it wasn't my destiny.   

My brother hogged all the musical genes and the dimples, so I got stuck with the less obvious talents.  It has always embarrassed me when people ask me what my talents are, because when you say, "I can recall what people ordered at restaurants."  they don't seem all that impressed. 

Last week, we attended the Blue and Gold Banquet for Cub Scouts for Mr. Boy.  The after dinner activity was a paper airplane competition, which just happens to be my secret talent.  I can fold a wicked fast paper airplane.  I helped my children fold their planes and gave them some pointers.  They both placed first in their divisions and my children thought I was amazing.   

Sure, Paper Airplane competitions don't come with the fancy sequined outfits and the grandiose music, but for just one day my kids thought I was the most talented human on the planet.  

What's your secret talent? 

4 comments:

Jenny said...

Ohh I need a lesson in that. My kids are always asking me to make them and mine are quite ugly and don't fly well. I, like you, didn't have any talents, sports, music, etc growing up. It's taught me that you are never to old to learn. As an adult I've learned to horseback ride (at BYU) and garden. I also want to take piano lessons but am forking out all the money for my kids lessons for now :( One day.

Raena Johnson said...

Who says you can't wear sequinned gowns while folding paper airplanes around the house all day? (Please send a pic of that)

Raena Johnson said...

Oh and I have a secret talent: I can put on any shirt inside-out head first and comes out perfectly. Haven't insided-out a shirt in years . . .

Cloves said...

Oh. That's my son's talent too. He can reverse engineer and fold any paper airplane (or other origami) that he is given. Not to mention his own sweet designs.