There is this friend, graduated high school at fourteen, attended Princeton, full scholarship, room and board. Graduated Princeton apparently rather quickly, and moved on to Stanford, International Studies of some sort, masters, and wrapped up with an MBA.
Never taking him for a fool, his eyes told me another story, intense, serious, when not hiding emotions, intelligent beyond anything I imagined. Still I was surprised at the extent of his education, when finally he shared. The numbers didn’t work, logically speaking. I’d not underestimated his brain power, however, I’d not considered all options.
He suggested I did, indeed, underestimate him. Not in the true sense of the word, no, but the length to which he has already experienced life, yes, I underestimated him.
Paying attention to small cues, clues, intense looks when certain words or situations are mentioned, fleeting views into another’s life are informative. Eyes tell stories, shining, twinkling, sparkling with happiness and joy, just as quickly turning deep, sometimes dark, with thoughts or memories, or perhaps serious intent.
His frustration is evident when someone suggests he’s ‘so smart’. These type remarks make him nuts, anyone can do what I did if they buckle down and do the work. I didn’t even try to argue with him, pointless.
Yes, my friend, people are quite capable of doing more than they ever imagined, however, your's is a special kind of intelligence. In order to proceed and succeed, to earn three degrees in four years or so, under the age of eighteen, well, you are some kind of special. I need to absorb and understand every piece of new information before I can move forward. Yes, I can make the grades and take pride in doing so. But I study long and hard, for ONE class, much less hundreds of hours of classes. There’s remarkable retention that comes with a mind like yours. The ability to analyze, disseminate, and retain information is extraordinary, significant. I’m thinking of so many areas which equip one for your success, and the list grows. I want to learn more, how profoundly gifted individuals process information. What is the makeup of people like you? How do you think, what does your thought process look like to the average person?
No, I disagree with you. Not everyone can do what you’ve done. They can do more, but not everyone has your ability. And you, my friend, are remarkably gifted
I happen to know a few gifted individuals.
Often I’m told I’m crazy, as friends fall down laughing at something I've said. I ‘think’ or perhaps like to believe they are complimenting me. Eye roll. "You're a 'good' crazy," they say...another eye roll.
I hope I’m a smart kinda crazy. Please? Maybe?
I’ll never be my friend, he’s genius, really crazy, and fun. He gets any job done. Fair warning.
Back to the eyes. His eyes, he tells me, are green. They aren’t mine and George’s kind of green. I think his eyes are hazel, with a pop of green. Maybe it was just the afternoon lighting. But those eyes are beautiful, they have stories. I want all the stories, and I fear I may never learn the truth.
I hope each of you have friends, and stories, like mine.
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