The
Nature of Genius
No one is more
fascinating to watch, and therefore more influential, than a person who moves
from a place of absolute focus. He has no thought about how he appears, and he
is completely relaxed in the joy of his moment. For such a person, the rest of
the world seems to go away, and all that exists for him is the task at hand.
Such purity of interest and awareness frames itself with a corona of honor and
power, regardless of what is transpiring within it. It is just such moments that
are a photographer's dream - expressions of natural genius, which set the
painter's brush in motion and drive the poet's pen to the page.
Such pristine clarity goes on all around us everyday. As many hurry to complete
their list of assigned goals and daily tasks, the world is unfolding with such
wonder and majesty that many of us could barely contain ourselves if we actually
noticed it. I would suggest to you that a primary essence of genius is found in
one’s ability to notice what others tend to miss.
It often seems that the experience of such genius can often be a solitary one.
Being the only one who notices can create quite an advantage. But it can also be
a burden as well. Trying to share a vision with those who can’t or won’t see
it can be heartbreaking at times. If and when one genius can make
significant contact with another, the effect is magical beyond belief!
Many geniuses are not recognized until long
after their death. Some go insane, while others simply remain in poverty and
obscurity, until some historian finds their work and makes it known.