My Alter Ego

Every once in a while the goofiest thing happens when I’m alone and left to the follies of my own imagination – I find that I am possessed with new and exciting talents as my alter ego consumes me. I turn into a much sought after speaker and book writer, occasionally I’m the great communicator and know just the right words for any and every situation, there are moments when I’m a champion Olympic skier, and most often I turn into this singer with an incredible voice and a fan club full of millions of groupies.

Most of my greatness occurs when I’m alone in the car, especially when my drive is longer than fifteen minutes – not unusual for where I live. And the talent of the moment is dependent upon my mood and my current life circumstances.  The writing and communicating and skiing usually are a result of a recent incident or an upcoming event. Especially if I’ve just sent my novel to a publisher, or I’ve got to sit down with someone and hash out a difficult problem. Or, on the flip side, my trip to excellence happens after I have tackled a tricky issue and I’m now obsessed with reviewing the conversation with the person and coming up with all of the great and motivating things I should have said.

But a good eighty percent of the time, my gift is not any of the above mentioned aptitudes.  Generally when I’m in the car the radio gets cranked as loud as possible without blowing out my eardrums, and my vocal cords strive to reach the same caliber as singers and bands such as ZZ Top, Big and Rich, Sugarland, and Alison Krauss.  I pay no attention whatsoever to whether or not I’m on key, instead I let the music fill me and I bellow the words to my heart’s content.

And I know I’m not alone in these bursts of stardom.  I can’t count the number of times I’ve pulled up to a stop light only to glimpse the man or woman next to me totally enwrapped in a concert of their own.  Smiles, tears, anger, love, heartache,… one of those emotions is often written all over the faces of my automotive neighbors as the song in their car is turning them into an amazing singer who can capture the hearts of the masses.

In many respects our alone time really should help us to increase our focus, boost our confidence, and even delve into our emotional and ever-so-

slightly irrational side where glory and adoration reside.  That’s the beauty of that time we spend by ourselves, no matter how we spend it. For me, and for many of my roadway buddies, it’s often all about the song.   And I say good for you and good for me – let the singing commence.

Now I gotta go – my car and my fan club await me.

If Only We Could See What Our Parents See

I wish my kids could see what I see when I look at them. They are both full of wonderful talent and moral character and goodness.  They are bright and capable and just downright decent individuals. Most parents would say that about their kids, and most parents would be correct, about any of us. The world is full of talent, if only we could simply learn how to use it.

This is the first of what I’m hoping to be a small series of articles about that very subject – talent. I tend to believe that everyone is talented in some way or another, and I tend to believe that we are generally at our best when we use those talents.  In my opinion talents include tangibles such as musical ability, mathematical skills, linguistic ability; and they include proficiency in characteristics that are more intangible like having a strong ethic, having empathy toward others, and the ability to lead and take responsibility.  Some people are visionaries, some are detail-oriented, some are analytical, and others are great at focusing on the concrete. Each of us has a mixture of gifts, and my kids are perfect examples.

My youngest, Jessica, is one of the most multi-talented people I know. Her analytical skills are exceptional, she is a wonderful artist, she has a beautiful singing voice, the poetry she writes can make you cry, she knows how to get from point a to point b and beyond, and she feels so deeply I know sometimes it hurts.  Her skill-sets are plentiful, and there is no doubt that she will excel in whatever path she chooses.  My husband and I love watching her grow up, even though she is my baby, and we are excited to see what her future holds.

As a promotional, and because as her mom I have bragging rights, I’m attaching her most recent recordings here in my blog.  Please enjoy, and pass this link on to your friends. 

Jessica Urben:

Fallen For You

Lucky (She sings both parts on this song!)  

Realize  

Make You Feel My Love

Where I Stood

Kori, my oldest daughter, has her own unique set of gifts and talents. Stay tuned for more, coming up next week!!