Glory And Frustration

A basketball player needs to be tall, one who is short is just not going to make it. Height is going to determine failure or success. When it comes to studying, one  has to have a good head to do well. A low IQ will determine the  place in school standing  and the school attended. With a low IQ, the chances of becoming a Nobel Prize winner are close to zero. 

Those that achieve uncommon results in sports, arts or in literature are talented: Michael Jordan or an Albert Einstein. With this introduction, a columnist in the Peace Weekly gives us a meditation on glory and frustration.

However, those with extraordinary talents are not always successful. Those who are tall are not always good basketball players. Persons with high IQs  are not always in the running for a Nobel prize. When the talent is there, the effort has to be put in the mix. All worldly success will require a lot of sweat and sacrifice. We often see that sweat and sacrifice make up for a lack of talent. On the  other hand, those with talent  without the effort and sacrifice will rarely go to the top. This has been proven in many studies.

Those who want to make it to the top of their field the columnist sees them spending over 10,000 hours of effort. These are the words of a neuroscientist. This kind of effort will require at least 3 hours daily of effort for 10 years. This was the case for those of our medal winners in this year's Olympics.

Effort and talent don't always bring success. Talent and effort bring medals to some but others have to drink the bitter cup of elimination.  All that is provided is the possibility of success. There is no theory or way of measuring what will bring worldly success. There are too many variables that come into play at the place and time.

However, medals no matter from where they come are no guarantee of success in life. There is no way to predict what life will offer: a mystery which we face. Life is not composed of series of  steps in merit to the desired goal. Correct answers are not easily found. Glory can come and go. The mystery in life is what gives it charm and savor.

In frustration, there is hidden hope and in glory, trials wait. The wise person faces the uncertainty of the ups and downs which come in life with humility and as a Christian with prayer.