Look for the Gifts

I am a lifelong learner. I participated in an enrichment program once, and one of the requirements was to not read for one week. I didn’t make it past breakfast on the first day. Truth be told, I found myself reading the back of the cereal box. I went to grad school twice. The last time I was in my mid-40s, working full-time with two kids and going to school at night. It was fabulous! I met some amazing professors who changed my life.

There were a few really difficult courses, including something called a capstone course. In that course you were supposed to apply everything you learned and analyze some businesses. My personal interest, and experience, was centered around nonprofits. I thought I had a problem. I didn’t think of nonprofits as businesses, so I was worried about this class. Each week we would work in teams, analyze with the teacher as a coach, and then present our findings. On the last night a student would be chosen to address the whole class on what is necessary for success in business. The professor picked me. I really sweated over what I would say. He told me to stop worrying and say what I believed.

I ran into that teacher right after I started at KenCrest. He asked me what took me so long to become a CEO. He had that dream for me when he met me, he had a gift for reading people. It would be good for us to take a lesson from him.

Years ago, when I was growing a supported independent living program, I had someone in mind who would be the perfect fit. He was a fun, engaging young man with a lot of skills and very loving family. I thought he was ready. He was willing to give it a try, but Mom was not so sure. I told her about the supports we had on site, the way we were staffing the homes, and that we would be there with him every step. She eventually said yes. He loved his new apartment, and his skills and interests took off! He had new dreams forming all the time. It was so joyous to watch.

Looking for potential and the gifts of other people is an obligation we have to each other. We could develop it by making some lists. What does this person love? What does this person do for others? What does this person discuss? Who matters in this person’s life? What brings this person joy? When you think of a person with these questions in mind, very soon you will see gifts.

This can come in handy at KenCrest for many reasons. Here are a few.
1. Some of the adults we support have not been given permission in their lives to imagine their future, and to use their gifts. In some cases, they have even been denied permission altogether.
2. All KenCrest staff are gifted. It would be a great disappointment to not try to find a place for those gifts to thrive.
3. All the children we meet are counting on us to apply our gifts, and to create a welcoming place to grow and develop their gifts.

As I write this blog, I am remembering all the people who made it clear to me that I had potential. In those moments, I was often confused, like the time I wondered why I was chosen to speak to my class. I felt the confidence they had in me before I saw what I had in myself.

Let’s look for the gifts, even if it causes a little confusion. Let’s make dreams possible.