An Uncommon Gift

By James A. Tavegia

A work of fiction about teenagers finding their true path in life and the choices that they make. Some can lead to a life fulfilled with meaning, happiness, joy, and accomplishment given the right advice and guidance in making the right  life choices. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: James A. Tavegia
• Release date: Feb 12, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215985755

James A. Tavegia

As a former math teacher in High School, Middle School, and then elementary school, I tried to make Math as much fun as I could, as it is as much a core subject as reading and writing properly. When high school students can't make change from a $5 bill for a $4.72 purchase; or read on grade level; or even write complete sentences, we must discuss what can be changed. Why can students talk for hours on end, but asking them to write 2 pages something to be dismissed as asking too much.  If better behavior and a lack of seriousness cannot be brought back  into the classroom, then I fear our children will not be prepared to enter the work force and secure the job they THINK  they deserve. 

Book preview

THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION

Any similarities to anyone, living or dead;

Or to any locations is

purely coincidental.

Copyright 2023

––––––––

AN UNCOMMON GIFT:  Chapter 1

Can anyone point out the exact time when things started to go wrong in their life? Or, is it a series of missteps long the way in life that led to such a dismal outcome of sadness and despair? How can one be truthfully analytical about such things anyway. It all comes down to perspective in the end. Can one be truthful with one’s self?  Does one have the time and patience to go back and look at all the details, year by year, month by month, and with a good memory day by day? Can one reconstruct the points along the road of life that were wrong turns that made such a life as this? It might take as long as the life lived itself to make such a task come to any real meaningful conclusion.

The other question is: Does it really matter to wallow in such an effort that will lead to little more than self-pity and accomplish little or nothing? One cannot change their past, and by digging so deeply all that might be achieved is that one falls into deeper depression and greater sadness for doing so.

What is one to do in this matter?  The only real benefit would be to a younger, outsider who might see how an older, disillusioned person could have changed course in a life that would have allowed a much better outcome. Certainly, one more favorable than the one just lived, and thus given a younger person to pause and make sure that choices made are truly going to end well enough to avoid the tragedy that beset this older individual. Something to be learned from something shared could be a good thing, if one would take note and realize that there are mistakes to be made by every young person that might have been avoided with some sound advice or guidance along the way.  Do this, but whatever you do, don’t do that!

Advice...so easy to give, but so hard to take; especially from a stranger.  One might say: What could he know about me?  He knows nothing about where I have come from, my education or family situation. He knows little of what my career intentions might be, or what they could become if I take the right advice from my mentors. They know me and what my likes and dislike are. They are also aware of what my young talents are becoming and could be upon further development. Do I have a mentor who really cares about me and my future?

One might see a danger here in that this may be exactly the same circumstances that befell a poor old man...that he failed to take advice or direction and did exactly as he pleased that caused him to fall into the abyss, the failure that he sees of his life. Maybe one should pay attention to the older one and hopefully avoid the choices. It would be a great benefit to not live a life of trouble and sadness that would have one be in dismay at the end of their life. That should be a worthy goal for anyone, and certainly any old man must have considered this in his early years?

It could be that he was not around many who had their lives turn out to be much less than hoped for.  Maybe he never saw that many people who were unhappy with their lives, or maybe they just did too good a job in hiding their sadness and might have felt embarrassed about others knowing their grief?  That is a very likely possibility for sure. Most people want other to see themselves as successful on some level with no problems dragging them down.

It might be a good idea to listen to some older folks and see how and why the decisions were made, when they were made, and what were the exact options that were available to them.  I am sure that is part of their sorrow in knowing that they could have done that, when they did what they wanted without much thought being put into it. A major life decision taken to lightly...so many of these when someone is under the age of 20, I am sure.

So where does one turn for such enlightenment?  Who should one ask for guidance? Should it be someone known, or what about a stranger?  Would a stranger be willing to share such intimate details about their lives and how their personal decisions turned out? Why not?  They would have nothing to lose as it would not be like someone was going to publish their findings, shout them from some roof-top and point out all the mistakes they admitted to doing.  That would be too cruel to do when one is just asking for help. 

Maybe one should just observe some older people in a natural setting, in a group possibly, like say at the library or book shop?  What about at a concert hall where many successful people might congregate; someone who looks successful and might have a pleasant countenance about them, one that might return a casual greeting?  Would that possibly work?  Could one find someone who could give good advice and counsel?

As someone with all too many failures, one could offer to counsel a younger person if they were willing to take on such advice. Maybe it should be on the older person to make the first effort to engage in conversation with a younger person before they leave public education, and then make the right secondary educational choices; in where and what they want to study?  I think this is much more likely and the younger person can immediately choose to accept the help, or not, and not waste valuable time with someone who has no interest in helping. 

Of course, too many young people today from their TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube posts leave little doubt that they are already too smart to need advice and that the world needs to be re-molded around their ideological bent. The dangers of that are already too apparent and dangerous for those who chose to follow their lead. Yet, they manage to find a few followers who are more than happy to be led to their doom. The smiles on their faces will soon fade as the reality and harshness of life will set in.

––––––––

A nicely dressed man is sitting on a part bench on a beautiful spring day.  The sun is warm and bright, the birds are out, people are out by themselves or in pairs for either a walk or a jog. A few are riding skateboards, generally in a safe way. The man sees a young skateboarder rolling alone.  As the skater gets close to the park bench, the gentleman motions for him to come over and have a seat.  The young man, somewhat startled, points to himself and say, Do you mean me, Sir, he states?

Yes, I mean you, said the nicely dress gentleman. Please, come have a seat and let us have a chat, can we, asked the man?

The young man stopped, hits the back end of his skateboard with his right foot. It popped up in the air and he grabbed it one-handed and walks over and has a seat next to the man.  Do I know you, asked the young man?

No, I don’t think so, said the gentleman.  I would like to help you with your future, if you would allow me to do so, said the man? It will be painless I can assure you, added the man. Why would you want to do that, asked the boy?  What would be in it for you," he inquired?

Why does everyone think that actions are all about payback, he asked?  Can’t someone just do something that might benefit just the other person without expecting some form of reward, added the man?

I guess so, stated the boy, but it just seems odd that someone would pick ME to do something for, that’s all.

This will be one of those cases, said the man with a smile. So, tell me about yourself, he asked.

There is not really anything to tell, said the boy.

That is why we are going to have this conversation, replied the man. Everyone should have something to tell if they made their life worth something that mattered, something more than just breathing and existing, don’t you think, asked the man?

I supposed so, said the boy rather puzzled by the man’s comments. Why would that matter so much to you, or anyone else for that matter, he asked?

Well, began the gentleman, you see most of the people in the world today are not living up to their true potential, they just exist day to day. Oh, they may have a job they think is important and that might pay them well, but just how important is it he asked? Is anyone really being helped by their daily life? Is anyone really benefitting by their existence by just bringing some product to market, being shipped to the right place, is anyone’s life truly being enriched by what they do or what the product does the man asked?

I don’t know, stated the boy.  What does it really matter if they are making a living doing it, he asked? 

Do you think just making a living is enough, asked the man?  Is just doing anything enough to earn money so one can live enough of a reason for doing what people do, he asked?  If that were the case than robbing a bank would give the same outcome, would it not?  Afterall, just money to buy stuff"!

Well yes, but many will be hurt by having THEIR money stolen, replied the boy matter-of- factly!  All of the looting going on is only a one-way street of benefit, added the skateboarder!  Too many are hurt by it, he added!

That is quite true, replied the man, and both are out of necessity, aren’t they? Everyone needs some things, and does how you obtain them does matter in the overall scheme of thing and life, he asked? The worker is justified, but the looter is not, I would contend, added the gentleman. One is right and one is wrong.

So let me ask you a question, said the man.  Why do you think the looters do what they do, asked the gentleman?  Are they justified in their stealing?

No, they are not justified, but some of them feel that they have been mistreated or feel they have a right to take what they take, the boy added, not really sure if that was the right answer or not.

Well, that is a problem, stated the man. That is a very warped sense of reality if one thinks they can just take what they want and somehow justify it because life has not dealt them a winning hand, so to speak, replied the gentleman. No one is entitled or promised a good life, he added. None of us are necessarily dealt the winning hand, yet some do start out in this life way better off than others...the Rockefeller’s, the Kennedy’s, and many others too many to name, have started off better from what their parents and grandparents achieved. Maybe it was easy for them, maybe not, who is to say what EASY is, he added?

I would agree with that, said the boy.  Did you grow up in a better house like that, asked the boy? 

No, but I did have some grandparents who chose to work hard and help me along. My father died when I was 7 and neither of my parents graduated from high school, so I did not come from a well-off family with plenty of money, the man added.  I did have grandparents who cared, but more importantly I had a neighbor who cared enough to give me some great advice and guidance, was a great example he stated bluntly.  It was up to me to take his advice or not".

I am guessing you took his advice, asked the skateboarder?  By how you are dressed I am guessing it worked out well for you, the boy added.

Yes, I would say it did, replied the man, but it was only advice, as I had to take it, do all the hard work necessary to make my life meaningful and full. I had to learn to do right, treat people right, and learn that my life was not just all about me, he added!  My 20’s were not all that much fun, I should add, said the man.

So, are you about to give me some advice, asked the boy? 

I don’t know, asked the gentleman.  If I gave it, would you take it, believe it, and use it for some good?

I might, replied the boy.  I have to be honest, he added. No one has ever really given me that kind of life-advice before.

The first thing you must decide is what do you want your life to be, stated the man. Have you ever heard of a goal in life, he asked?  Have you ever looked into the future, past just today, and thought about what your life should be, he asked soberly?  If you have not, then that is where you will have to start, he added. You have to decide what you want to do and the person you want to be.

How old are you, asked the man?

I am 13, said the boy.  I will be 14 as I start high school next year, he added.

So, what are you good at, asked the man, and I don’t mean skateboarding, either, he added?  What talents do you have right now? Are you good at mathematics, reading, can you write, or play a musical instrument, he asked?

I did play the clarinet in grade school and part of middle school, but then I started playing football and baseball and then kind of gave up on music. I do sing solos in church once in a while, so I guess I have some musical talent.  I did win 2: third place medals and a 1st place medal playing the clarinet in the city competition, he added with a smile.

So, sports were the reason you stopped playing the clarinet, asked the man? Are you going to make any money playing sports professionally, he asked? Is that