Strengths & Weaknesses

As I was navigating my way around the blogworld today, I came upon this site that caught my interest. In it, I found this quote: In life, it is far more important to develop your strengths than to compensate for your weaknesses.

My first reaction was that I did not necessarily agree. But then I thought about what my strengths and weaknesses were and this gave fodder for thought because I believe as humans, many basic strengths and weaknesses are universal:

~ I believe as parents our strength lies in our ability to love our children unconditionally despite childhood tantrums, teenage fits, and adult explorations. I also believe our strength lies in the lessons children teach us - patience, endurance, and courage - and are quickly learned and applied continuously on an almost every day basis.

~ I believe as children our strength lies in the unconditional love we show our parents, even when some parents are undeserving.

~ I believe as individuals our strengths lie in how we overcome the many and varied obstacles, hardships, tragedies, and crisis that come our way. I believe our strengths lie in the power of our forgiveness and acceptance. I believe our strength lies in the kindness we show others.

~ I believe that strength lies in the power of our faith.

~ I believe as members of the community of mankind our strengths lie in the compassion, understanding and assistance we show and give to others.

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~ But I also believe our weakness as parents lie in the soft areas of the heart when it will not discipline, be firm, speak up, or guide.

~ Or, that our weakness as children lie in the fact that we love our parents but judge them constantly and expect more from them because of their lack of understanding when in reality it is we, as children, that do not understand.

~ Or, that as individuals our weakness lies in the belief that we expect decent treatment from all, or equality in the world, or simple acts of kindness; in essence, our frailty lies in the expectations we hold others to.

~ Or, that spiritually, our weakness lies in blind faith and are afraid to question.

~ Or, that as members of the community of mankind our weakness lies in the cruelty we voice or things we do.

In essence, our strengths show us the light of our humanity while our weaknesses show the dark that we are capable of, our human frailty. And for me, I have always tried to work more on my weaknesses than my strengths. To turn those weaknesses in strengths is what my journey is all about. That is how I grow. That is how I challenge myself. That is how I learn and come to understand and love and come to see that to be weak and admit it is a sign of wisdom. And in this lies our strength.

© 2007 Rebecca Bush