Genius?

"Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."

-Albert Einstein. 

I've heard that Einstein was a pretty bright guy.  This quote just makes so much sense to me.  Some people are extremely gifted in science and mathematics, and we tend to dub them "brilliant," which in their field, they certainly are.  Some people write beautiful poetry, or vividly entertaining novels.  We like to call them geniuses as well.  Some people have amazing memories, and a knack for remembering the right fact at the right time.  Some people can see a picture in their head, and make it appear on their canvas.  We call them talented.  Some people can compose songs that have the power to control emotion.  We call them "musical geniuses."  

But how about those people whose talent doesn't really fall into any of those categories we label as genius? What about those who are extraordinary athletes who just seem to have an instinct in their sport?  What about dancers who know exactly how to hold their arms, or actors who know precisely how to convey an emotion?  What about directors who envision a play, or the choreographer who told the dancer what steps to perform? Or those who have singing voices which seem to intoxicate others? What about those who prepare gourmet food, or even just a delicious home cooked meal?  Or those whose gardens are always beautiful, because they just have a knack for making things grow? What about that person you always run to when you have car trouble,  or the guy who fixes your computer? How about people who can capture a moment perfectly on film? Or the teacher who knows how to make the most complicated concepts simple for his or her students? What about those whose home, desk, notebook, filing cabinet, etc., is always unrealistically organized? ( a task that I am certain I will never be able to accomplish. )

And what about those people whose special talent has no tangible evidence?  What about those who always make the a witty comment at the exact second that it is downright hilarious? What about those people that always know what advice to give a friend, or even a stranger, in a tough situation?  What about those who have an instinct for knowing when it is better to just listen?  And there is no denying that some people find it easier to forgive people, and that for some accepting those who are different from us is just easier than it is for others.  There are those of us who are just naturally more patient.  There are even those who just seem to be naturally optimistic and happy.  Maybe they have an understanding or outlook on life that comes more naturally to them than to others.  The same goes for people who are naturally kind. Who is to say that all of those talents, which they undoubtedly are, are not their own genre of genius?  

I am not preaching a sermon here. I am as guilty as any.  My friends will tell you that I have often confessed to having a low tolerance for "stupid" people.  That is my mistake.  I need remember that they may understand some things or have the natural ability to do some things that I cannot grasp.

The inner workings of no two peoples' minds are identical, so how can one say that because your minds function differently, once person is a genius, and one is not? I am not putting down people who are gifted students.  Mathematic, Scientific, Literary, Political, Economical geniuses all have their place, and are 100% necessary to society. And there are those who are gifted in seemingly every area; those people are enormously blessed.  But, so many other people are necessary as well.  IQ may say something about how you function academically, and anyone who knows me knows that I believe in academics (seriously, you are talking to a first class nerd),  but are academics really everything when you are talking about a person's intellect?  Their genius may be different from yours, so you may not recognize it, but it is there.  Everyone has some gift.  We may not all be Rhodes Scholars, but that is just not our brand of brilliance.