Thousands of people we see going to great lengths daily to achieve the unecessary standards created by none other than themselves, forced to become what they are not, to give up what gives them true satisfaction and replace it with what doesn't. Our competitive world seeks nothing but talent, ability, and ideas.

What is talent? I have heard this word being defined in many ways. From academic to athletic and artistic, it seems talent encompasses everything. It can be found in all spheres of life.

But the modern world has made it so hard for us to find talent in ourselves by setting high standards that we are ignoring the talent we have in our own ways, and contradicting ourselves.

Talent is ingrained into each and every person in different ways. Some may rise to heights and some may get neglected, but what makes everyone equally special is the extraordinary ability we have to adjust, to evolve, to express and to constitute this diverse, beautiful world. None is more talented that the normal, everyday person. 

We have countless historical and present-day examples to show just how talented the common people are. Mass movements for change, steps towards progress and huge innovations would have never been possible without those normal, everyday people whom we never glorify. Those recognised are few, but those talented are infinite. The ability of the common person knows no bounds. They are the ones who change, renew with life, recognise great truths, and know what truly matters.

We undertake great trouble to seek the different, the special, but the truth is that nothing is more special than being what we are. We try to cage in our true self to try and be different, capable- but we are just limiting our endless capacities. Never do we open ourselves up and try to see what we truly can do, we are so busy with searching for ourselves in the wrong place and in the wrong way.

What is unique in the common, rough stone? It is omnipresent. It has learnt to live in every corner of the world. It gets eroded, shaped, destroyed and created, it is fully connected to the cycles of change. No valued, protected jewel can match the resilience of the neglected stone.

To seek out ourselves and appreciate our self worth, we must learn to define ability in an unconventional way. Ability is present in each and every one of us, what matters is whether we value it or not. A precious gem is no different from a stone, what matters is which one of them we have learned to value.

And here I will offer no definite way to become who we are. I believe in the capabilities of each person, each unique, whole, alive being, and entrust them with the task of finding themselves, in their own way. 

This will certify that the above work is completely original.

Cherub Singh