Tuesday, August 28, 2012

That Silver Stuff


I was thinking about IQs just the other day. IQs and my mom's wisdom.

I think most guys my age took an IQ test in school. I know I did. But my mom curiously never told me how I scored on it.

When I was young I believe I flattered myself by thinking that perhaps mom didn't tell me my scores because she didn't want me to get a big head or, worse yet, brag about a high IQ. That's how I flattered my
self.

My friend, Kevin, always puts scratch-off lottery tickets in the birthday cards he gives me. He did that again last week and I stood at the desk and scratched 'em all off -- the glimmer of hope I had in those five un-scratched cards quickly dimming to nothing as I scratched that last bit of silver off the final loser.

Sometime later that day, as my wondering mind is prone to do, I added up 1 and 1 and suddenly the answer seemed so obvious.

It dawned on me. Experience has finally taught me that my mother's silence regarding my IQ score was like that silver scratch off material. Nobody would ever buy a losing card if that silver stuff didn't cover it. And I might not have pursued my passions with such abandon had I known how little was my likelihood of succeeding at them.

Wise mom.

8 comments:

  1. Ha- wise mom indeed, if she had told you would you have become a Brain Surgeon?

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  2. We are all geniuses until someone screws up and opens the envelope.

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  3. smart mom. My cousin has an exceptionally high IQ, went to several universities and has several degrees and doctorates. She lives in a commune (yes, they still exist) and is bat-crap crazy. IQ does not always transfer into success. But....are you the least bit curious about your number?

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    1. Curious about my number?

      I don't know. Maybe. But I have pretty much concluded that it would be very, very average. And at that I probably still flatter myself.

      If given enough time, I usually figure my way in and out of an open, straight hallway with no closeable doors. But if you ask me what letter comes before "P", you'll have to wait for an answer because I have to start with "A" and go forth from there.

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  4. keep posting...you make us think!! now that is good for the IQ!!

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  5. It isn't so much the IQ but what you do with what you have or maybe just what you do. I appreciate your thoughts and your blog.

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  6. Thanks for all the comments!

    Why do I find myself reminded of this old gem (that, by the way, my mom used to sing to me)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SkoD2CIakQ

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  7. Surely you KNOW the odds of the lottery are stacked against you. And yet you did it anyway. I think that's the better lesson. Not that not knowing isn't sometimes useful, but standing up against the odds is the dubious heroism that you should be proud of.

    I think of it as something like the Paul Newman character in Cool Hand Luke who gets pummeled by George Kennedy but keeps on getting back up for another beating. He knows he's gonna get whooped, but if he can last long enough he might just make a difference.....

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