Ha ha ha. Those six words together (seven if you count the contraction) make up the most vile, wicked or (maybe more accurately put) pathetic phrase in the English language. I cringe whenever I hear it and laugh whenever I hear about it. In McManus' book, Entry #17 is called "Do You Know Who You Are?" and he tells a story of an Aussie he met who once worked on a train and had a hard time with one of the passengers, who began to yell at him, "Do you know who I am? Do you know who I am?" This guy calmly called all the passengers to attention and asked, "Does anyone know who this man is? He seems to have forgotten." (ha ha ha) The guy ended up sheepishly finding his seat.
The author brings up an interesting point about how "self awareness" is a popular topic now. He surmises that it's probably because we are so self-absorbed and less self aware. He brings up a funny point and then underlines the "we were meant for community" topic again when he talks about the early rounds of American Idol. These people with a sometimes hideous lack of talent get up on stage and make a spectacle out of themselves. Apparently, these people are either isolated and not part of a community of loving people (where certainly one of their friends would tell them the loving truth) or they are stubbornly refusing to hear the honest criticism of those around them. That is one of the good by-products of being in community -- we find out what our gifts are (and are not). We can affirm those gifts and talents we see, encouraging them to develop; and we can gently guide someone in another direction (like showing them another related vocation or maybe even giving them a certificate for voice lessons).
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at September 4, 2007 09:16 AM