Wadzanai Mabuto CA(SA)
Senior Lecturer at the
Department of Accounting at UJ
‘We are each given different gifts and talents by our Master. The thing that matters most is how we use what we have been given, not how much we make or do compared to someone else. What matters is that we spend ourselves’ – Francis Chan.
A common theme in parent-teacher consultations at school was that I talked non-stop. One teacher told my parents that I said that I would get a headache if I stopped talking. Another teacher said I was good at drawing circles and colouring them in. My mother always said that I think very deeply about situations. The above sums up my gifts: talking, creativity and thinking.
Your gift
A gift is something that is given to you. You made no payment for it and did nothing to deserve it. Gifts come in all shapes and sizes and wrapped in various packages. We sometimes fail to see our gifts because we are either preoccupied with cloning other people’s gifts or we devalue our gifts because they come wrapped in a brown paper bag. We then fail to see our gifts because they seem dull and boring. Your gift is something that comes naturally and effortlessly to you. Identifying your gift is one thing; developing it is a whole different ball game.
Will make room
‘Before your gift will make room for you, you have to make room for it’ – Stephen Blandino.
I recently wrote, illustrated and published a children’s book after realising that I needed to create a space where I can develop my gift of creativity. It was a steep learning curve getting to the point of seeing a final product, but I dedicated time and effort. This book is currently making room for me. The process of developing your gifts is an important one as it separates the one-trick ponies from those that have staying power and consistently produce results. This stage is painful because many do not see the value of your gift as it is still in coal form. Do not get discouraged; keep developing your gifts consistently. One day, people will ‘see’ you.
Before great people
A great person is someone that allows you to share your gift with others. Over time, people will begin to awaken, as they finally see the diamond that was stored inside of you coming out in your full form. A couple of months ago, I was invited to deliver the guest address for the 2020 matric valediction ceremony at Dainfern College. I did not apply for this: I did not even know what valediction meant! Someone saw me exercising my gift of talking and asked me to come and share it with others. I did my research, I prepared my speech and I delivered it in confidence that I was giving of my gifts in a room filled with great people.
May you find your gift, develop it and use it!
Home-Schooling Tips:
- Be patient with yourself and the children. It is a process.
- Be flexible about the methods that you use. That unscheduled work call will come, and the children need to understand that it is part of it.
- Reflect on the day with the kids and be brave enough to ask them for feedback.
- Have fun! Remember, school includes life skills and physical activities.
- Take turns. Draw up a roster on who is responsible on which days to home-school the kids. That way you can schedule in a bit of me time.
- Link up with others that are home-schooling to get ideas.
