The Best of Me

I think you're right. It is very hard to talk about myself, because it indeed feels like I'm bragging especially when the matter is about my "God-given gifts and talents." I'm not sure how to answer this question. I could potentially identify my faults and virtues, but dividing these characteristics into what I was born with and what I have learned by my surroundings is extremely difficult.

For the sake of this blog post, I reached out to my dad (the same one I talked about in a previous post, I'm sensing a repeating theme here). When I asked him what he thought my biggest talent was he, in all seriousness, told me to ask him instead what my faults are. He believes criticism is more important than praise, because one can better through criticism while praising only feeds vanity. However, I disagree. One can learn from both. Sometimes through seeing the good in you through other people's eyes you learn to see it for yourself. Affirming others of their goodness is necessary in order to live fully, this is what community was formed for anyway.

When I explained the assignment, and I openly stated I wasn't looking for praise but rather trying to see myself through his eyes he finally gave me an answer. He said, and I quote, "you have determination. You're brave, and can make decisions." He is referring to the fact that I've been the first one in my family to go to college away from home, in fact miles away from home. This does not fly in Hispanic families, and it has been a liberty I fought very hard for. I think these traits I was born with, my grandma has always said that I was born with little wings that no one has been able to clip.

My dad went along and also mentioned that I am "very veraz," I asked what that meant too and he defined it as the ability to simply say the truth, combined with the desire to never be lied to. So, basically a lover of truth. I think this characteristic is more of a learned one. Through the years, through the ups and downs and mistakes, you learn the harm of a lie and all the consequences that could have been avoided through honesty.

This is where our talk ended, because then my dad went on to describe my faults. Because it was too much good in one day, and I needed to be reminded that I wasn't perfect.

On the other hand, my sister said that when I asked her this question the first word that came through her mind was: discernment. And I find that fascinating, since it just so happens to be the key topic of my first blog post here.