<b>By Susan Stone</b>

Some people call them their “spidy” senses; others call them their special gift. No matter what you call them, they’ve been on the hearts and minds of a lot of people lately. Several months ago I wrote an article called <em>Life is Extraordinary.</em> In short, the article was about non-ordinary experiences that ordinary people have every day. The article focused mainly on the obvious gifts like premonitions and communicating with other realms. The conversations I’ve had since then have been fun, enlightening and unexpected…ever broadening my own definition of <em>super powers.</em>

It’s typical to think of clairvoyance or heightened intuition, when you talk about “special gifts”. One special gift that I had not previously thought of was <em>patience.</em> Patience is an awesome super power to have! Mine is admittedly, underdeveloped. Don’t you admire someone who is patient and kind with our elders or with children? Don’t you wish sometimes that you had more patience? It’s a true gift. Generosity, compassion, honesty, or the ability make people feel truly loved are very special gifts that not all of us develop equally. We have many gifts to one degree or the other. We can acquire more with some effort. We can make them stronger by using them…like a muscle. However, envy seems the least effective way to receive a new gift. It’s natural for us to wish we could…wish we had…but it’s useless. It doesn’t seem to work that way. We must nurture the seed we already have.

Don’t worry if you have more practical gifts. You may not get a metal for being a super hero, but <em>discernment</em> is a very cool <em>super power. </em>You’d be surprised how handy it comes in when it comes to people you can’t trust.

Of the many stories that people shared with me, I think the most common super <em>power people </em>admitted to having, was <em>empathy.</em> Meaning that they can feel what other people feel. They walk in to a room and feel the tension, the anger or the sorrow of another person. They also have a heightened sense for joy and love. When other people are sick, they begin not to feel so good. Symptoms come and go depending where they are and who they are around. If crowds make you feel anxious or ill, you’re probably an empath. One woman said “that explains so much!” It isn’t in their minds. They really <em>feel </em>good and bad on a level that goes unnoticed by the average person.

We all face the choice every day whether to use our gifts to help others or to help ourselves. Even though it’s hard to admit, we easily find ways to help ourselves. How often do we use our <em>gifts</em> to get what we want? You don’t have to be sinister to misuse your <em>super powers.</em> The first step to helping others is to identify what comes naturally to you. Think about what makes you happy. If you try to use somebody else’s <em>super power, </em>it won’t work. If patience is not your gift, rethink a career as a school teacher, or a peace officer… and bus driving is definitely out. If discernment is not your strong suit, don’t run for judge…no matter what your forefathers did before you! You will be happier and more effective in the world, if you play to your strengths. We all wish we were more…something. But for now, we are where we are and the gifts you have are meant for you to use. Just remember, the good guys aren’t the only ones with special gifts. There are some very <em>patient</em> crooks out there.

It’s been fun expanding my mind around this topic. I meet a lot of new people in the course of a week. I really enjoy conversations with folks who <em>just never looked at it that way before.</em>