10 Sep The Force – What is your Superpower?

Who can forget that little boy? Dressed up as all little 5 year-olds like to be.
In full regalia: long black robe, lightsaber in hand, iconic helmet firmly on,
he is Darth Vader.
He has the outfit, he has the strut.
But, boy, he’s having trouble with the Force!

Nothing seems to bow to his command:
The dog, the dryer, the doll, not even the pb+j will answer to his strong gaze and dramatic persistence.

The story of us

We all have that little child in us.
The one that wants to have a superpower.
It would help make sense of our crazy world, and give us that one advantage.

And guess what?
We do. Each and every one of us.

What is your superpower?

It may take a little time to figure out what yours is.
You may never have thought of it as a superpower.
But trust me. Everyone has at least ONE.

It may be the Force – like Darth Vader.
Or the ability to turn out a delicious meal – like Gordon Ramsey & my nephew.
The gift of writing a song that creates intense emotion – like my niece, or Taylor Swift.
Possibly a green thumb – like my aunt.

Or the ability to connect the dots – like Malcolm Gladwell.
And tell a story – like Bernadette Jiwa or state the obvious – like Scott Perry.

Some discover theirs naturally

It is the thing they do so as easily as breathing. But their skill elicits awe in everyone around them!
For my Mom, it is her delicious cooking.
For a friend, it is her natural skill with colours and decorating a home.

For others it may be a little more of a journey

Your superpower may be more visible to those around you – those who would love to have a little of what you have. You may have battled this sense that you are different (because you are – we each are!)

Teachers may comment on these skills.

Or Shazam!

On the other hand, it may come as a surprise to discover you have a superpower. It may be your first manager who enables you to see that the sticky ‘problem’ you thought you had is actually just what is needed to make sense of the messy mess of organizations.

It’s OK if your superpower is not the same as everyone else’s superpower

Some of our superpowers will make us famous. Others will help us be better organized. Some who are gifted with X-ray vision, like Maria Xenidou & Mina Fung, who see the possibilities and encourage and assist others in seeing their better self through your eyes.
And there are others like Danny van Leeuwen and Matt Neil whose capes grow miraculously larger to embrace the ill and the students under their care.

The beauty of our individual superpower is that together it makes us a community – each bringing the best of ourselves to help the others around us.

Vroom. Vroom.

So going back to that little boy in that iconic VW Superbowl ad:

He races out as his Dad returns home from work, intent on making this gargantuan hunk of metal respond to his intense gaze.
He holds out his hand commandingly.

Nothing happens.
He tries again, his growing frustration watched patiently by his parents.
And then, suddenly, the headlights blink, and the engine purrs into action.
He is stunned!
He did it! He has superpowers! He has the Force!

.

.

.

Or is it the Dad suddenly discovering his own superpower in bringing joy to his child?

So,
I make uncommon connections.

What’s your superpower?

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