gen·ius
ˈjēnyəs/
noun
- 1.exceptional intellectual or creative power or other natural ability.
I'm not sure when we skewed that definition, but somewhere along the line we did. We look for and measure success and intelligence by the "intellectual" part of that statement. We, as a society, care about your ability to do well in the academic subjects taught in schools--the majority of which fall under the categories of language arts, foreign language, math, science, and history. Occasionally you might run into a school that requires an arts course, but in general those courses that include that second part of the genius definition--that "creative power"--are not emphasized. I think that's where we skewed the definition. So instead of going on a rant, I'm going to make my point that geniuses come in many forms by showing you examples of people who are geniuses. I'm not talking about famous people...these are people in my life, who I won't name. Some are very academically intelligent, because I value that kind of genius and believe that they are real, valid, and very important. Others are those who exemplify the "exceptional creative power" that may not be so recognized in today's world. Both are very different. Both matter a whole lot.
1. The engineer.
This is my friend who I believe will one day host The Tonight Show because he is ridiculously funny and belongs on a late night TV show. However, he is also a math genius. In calculus when I was struggling to grasp the concepts being taught, he would be asking the teacher conceptual questions--connecting many topics that I will probably never connect. He got it. This is my friend who is employed as an engineer at a company in town. He is literally working as a college freshman in a legit job and doing a fabulous job. He is fascinated by physics. When he stops a car, he will tell you the physics behind what just happened--whether you care or not.
He is a genius.
2. The photographer.
This is my friend who goes on hiking adventures and captures the world. He can pick the right lens for the camera, look through it, and see a world waiting to be recorded. He snaps away, seeing the way the light falls and capturing that beauty. He can put a person in front of a seemingly gloomy, gross sky and make the whole beautiful. This is my friend who puts the right things in focus, and at the end of the day, no one sees the world in a more unique way, and no one has the ability to capture it in such a way that others can see that same beauty.
He is a genius.
3. The neurobiologist.
This is my professor who does amazing research on the human brain, and has discovered things about it that no one else has ever discovered. She has had this passion within her since she was a child--literally doing experiments since she was in grade school. She has presented at many prestigious events and worked on many problems. This is my professor who speaks about things that I can barely even wrap my brain around with such passion that it makes me excited for her. She knows more about this tool we call the brain than I would ever be able to comprehend.
She is a genius.
4. The theatre artist.
This is the director who has worked with theatre for young people for many years. She is the artistic director over an entire professional theatre, knowing the ins and outs of how a theatre should operate better than anyone I know. She can transform umbrellas into turtle shells and anything else that her brain could dream up. She can turn her "ninjas" aka people dressed in black into ice cream, flowers, spider webs, and water. This is the director who can create a fantasy world before your eyes and captivate your mind and heart with a story that is real even when it isn't and take you on a journey that you have never been on before.
She is a genius.
5. The reader, writer, and all-around scholar.
This is my friend who was on Teen Jeopardy as a high school student. She scored extremely high on all those important college exams and is close to top of the class, if not at the very top. She loves learning, through reading and writing...writing full length novels, mind you. She takes her schoolwork seriously, but has this natural ability to succeed. This is my friend who is just flat out smart and can do well at school, but also is passionate about things like reading and writing. She uses those passions to further herself, while still finding ways to enjoy the other academic subjects as well...she's not even out of high school.
She is a genius.
6. The arranger.
This is my friend who takes a song and creates an a cappella arrangement of it. He can listen to a piece of music, pick out parts, and notate them for people to sing. He can take a blank sheet of music and fill it with notes, which in turn takes a room of quiet voices and fills it with music. This is my friend who has written an original song that brings me to tears. He has the ability to make music, not only for himself, but for groups everywhere, impacting those lives using the abilities he's been given. He can literally create music.
He is a genius.
The term "genius" is a broad one, but also a very important one. "Genius" is not limited to the academically intelligent people. "Genius" is a lot of things, and I think that it is super important that we recognize that...and celebrate it. These people that I know are amazing, but they are not the only six people in my life doing something cool--literally everyone is. If you look at people like that--knowing that they are all doing something unique--you will start to see possibility everywhere. Tell someone today that you appreciate them and think they rock...because they do. And so do you. Go be a genius...no matter what kind you are.
