The Write Tuition

Hidden talents:

Sometimes we don’t truly recognise our own ability, especially if it’s something which comes instinctively and we only use it for fun.

There was a parent at my daughter’s junior school who always used to paint Christmas scenes on the windows every year.  I had no idea she was a proper working artist. One year she was working away and I just stood there, muck-struck, as she deftly painted loops and swirls which suddenly came to life. Realising someone was watching she turned around and asked what I wanted…

I made some comment about being fascinated how someone could make flat paint on flat glass look so three dimensional.

“This is just for fun, and because the kids like it. I use oils for real painting.”

“I never knew.”

“A bit like you then. Most people don’t know what you can do with words. I could never stand up in front of two hundred kids and have them spellbound with a story.”

I suddenly remembered her being at the back of the hall, casually pinning up the kids pictures and not seeming at all interested. Another quiet ‘people watcher’.

“It’s better that way…” we both said together, “Saves having to explain to everyone.”

I suspect many of us have hidden talents, hidden from ourselves as well as others

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I gave myself a day off and took my camera to a Heli-Meet, because although helicopters aren’t a great passion they are nonetheless interesting mechanical devices.  I spent about four hours wandering around talking to people and taking pictures - in between sheltering from heavy rain showers - and found out lots of things I never knew before.  Such as the Hampshire Air Ambulance having previously been a helicopter gunship for the German Army, and there are still bolt holes on the skids where the machineguns and rocket launchers were fitted.  (In view of the way some Southampton yobs have been hanging around the hospital helipad and preventing the Air Ambulance from landing maybe the armaments should be reinstalled.)

I came away with a couple of article ideas and a new insight into the minds of those who fly these ungainly looking machines.