Are You A Fish Out of Water?

~I saw this little blurb on a friend's facebook status today. It's a sweet reminder, perhaps, of how and why some people thrive while others spin in circles.
~There's a lot of discussion about praising kids for mediocre work these days. The effort is purported to be worth as much as the accomplishment. However, I'm always torn. While one kid is trying his hardest and struggling, is perhaps another just being lazy while both might be producing a low level result? How does a parent or teacher know the difference? IQ tests are not showing clear cut results anymore. Many adults find they have no interest in what a grade school achievement test showed them to be best suited for. Both hubby and I wonder what we were truly meant to do in life. Were we steered into careers or lifestyles that were what was expected of us? Or did we subconsciously achieve success because we were in the right place at the right time.
~People always bemoan later in life that they wish they'd followed their hearts when they were young rather than conform to the mold that society put them into. But I often wonder what part plain old fate plays in it all. I firmly believe that everyone is different and not all of us can throw a baseball or perform heart surgery. But we all don't have the drive to pursue our heart's desire either. Wishful thinking often takes up a lot of time. Blaming parents and teachers and friends for keeping hidden talents hidden is an easy out. If you look carefully, the fish usually knows it can't climb a tree so it expends its energy elsewhere. I can't build lasers or furniture like hubby can so I design and sew things that I need and like and I write stuff.
~Individuals usually find their own way. Being thoughtful about encouraging children is a good thing. But lavishing praise on everything might not be as worthy as acknowledging specific things in each child that are worthy of praise. Those who climb mountains often do it against the will of those closest to them. Not all success stories are products of a healthy, encouraging family life. We're not all good at everything and often, not even good at what we think we're good at! But most of us seem to find our way in spite of being told we can't.