First Person Singular by Wendy Braitman

filed in Daily Life

Folks, We Have a Winner(s)

August 13, 2010 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Aimee Bender graciously agreed to be celebrity judge for our recent contest, a fitting job, given that her wonderful novel, The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, inspired us. We asked the following question: What is your natural gift? What comes most easily to you?
All the submissions were fascinating, but with just two books to give away, here are Aimee’s picks –

Posted by Corbin

I have the uncanny natural ability to be chosen, whether I like it or not, as the foreman of any jury I might sit on.

Posted by Jen

I have a special talent for seeing the negative. In any given situation, no matter how serene or joyful, I have a unique ability to pull out what is most disturbing or hurtful about it. I can’t help it. I just see it, and then it’s too late to shut it out.

This is a difficult gift to manage in a culture where books like “The Secret” are all the rage; where a negative viewpoint is considered hazardous to one’s health and prosperity, and practically dangerous. (As though it were contagious, and I might infect other people with my negativity just by walking around and opening my mouth.)

But I have learned, over time, to see my negativity for the gift it truly is. It gives me great insight into myself and others and I find confronting, rather than denying or ignoring, my own suffering very reassuring. It has also given me much empathy and compassion for others and great tolerance for those who suffer most.

Congrats to the winners, and THANKS to everyone who participated!

Photo: Buster Keaton

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