GOD showered you with blessings and among them: talents. As a keen observer, I have been amazed and awed by the phenomenon of the passing on of talents that may be predetermined in the genes, or fruits of a nurturing milieu. Each member of the next generation has his or her own gifts waiting to be unwrapped, to be developed and to be shared.
As a witness to the changes of seasons, the unraveling of days into weeks then into months then into years, the dynamics of talents are fascinating. Which particular talent one inherits in a big clan is akin to getting winning tiles in a game of Scrabble. Some are blessed with more than just one talent but all are gifted just the same.
The potential of a child can be discerned early on and the fruits of those talents are shown in their chosen profession or vocation.
Allow me to share with you some subtle rumination about the manifestations of talents in our family. I have ten brothers and three sisters. And I have quite a number of nephews and nieces.
The Artists
I remember two nephews who as young children would always ask me to draw cartoons for them. They would intently watch me as I drew a line, a shape, then a figure. The older one became an engineer which is related to his talent of drawing and the younger one is now enrolled in a multimedia arts course. A niece is good with drawing animè and another niece is taking up Architecture.
The Writers
Back in the olden days, the young ones would always ask me to tell them stories. One particular niece would eagerly and sweetly request for stories about my childhood. She now has her own website with her own stories that showcase her promising and prolific writing prowess. Another niece liked my ghost stories and now has been able to write her own book on Wattpad, garnering positive reviews and an expectant numerous following.
The Pianists
All of us siblings play the piano since our mother was a piano teacher. A sister and a brother studied at Conservatories of Music. Majority of the young generation also have been blessed with this talent in varying degrees.
The Violinists
The violin of our father was prominently displayed on top of a cupboard at the dining area. Though very old with broken strings it sparked the interest of a nephew and three nieces to learn how to play that instrument. The violin evokes a soulful sentimentality that my father enjoyed tremendously.
The Singers
My father was a great singer. He would often sing while my mother would do the accompaniment at parties and events. A niece followed in his footsteps and is gifted with a melodious and an angelic voice. She is taking formal lessons and loves musicals.
The Flutists
My father also played the flute. It was displayed among memorabilia at home. A nephew learned how to play the flute. He has performed at a our Christmas Benefit Concert.
The Drummer
Now, this is a new addition to the musicality of the family. A niece had taken drum lessons and performed at the family concert. She impressed the little ones so that, in fact, one little nephew was on his feet grooving while the beat was playing.
The Football Players
An older brother of mine was the goalkeeper of the Philippine Football Team during his prime in the 1980’s. A few nephews currently play that game. One is showing a big potential as a striker and scoring consistently in matches.
The Runner
An accomplished nephew has won a number of competitions in track and field. He got an athletic scholarship at the College of Human Kinetics at the University of the Philippines in Diliman.
The Physicists
A niece took up Physics just like her two aunts. Hats off to her as it is an extremely difficult course. One has to be gifted in science and math to be successful in that field.
Our father, a published author, coined his own nickname for us, his children – the “living love sonnet.” He always said that, “as far as he and my mother were concerned, the best fruits of their labor, their most important contributions to national development are my brothers, my sisters and me.” There are two priests, four lawyers, two engineers, two in Information Technology, one human resources consultant, one physicist, one doctor, and one writer-columnist in the family. Our father was a lawyer who was blessed with the opportunity to be in government service as head of the National Bureau of Investigation while our mother was a full-time housewife of choice. She was awarded as Gintong Ina (Golden Mother).
To contribute more in nation building, we formed the ABC STARS Inc.: Antonio Bernardita & Children for Sports Technology Arts Religion Science. This aims to promote a holistic approach to human development. Activities include; Christmas Benefit Concerts, football tournaments and clinics, scholarships for seminarians, and workshops on the Central Visayan Institute Foundation Dynamic Learning Program developed by my sister and her husband in Bohol.
The Parable of the Talents comes to mind as a guide on what to do with one’s talents. Each is a gift meant to be developed and shared with the community. Essentially, the parable tells us that in the end we will be asked this question: What have you done with your talents?