Problems

The latest research indicates our memories are not particularly reliable. Instead of accurate snapshots of our past, they evolve over time. Still, there are memories that take on importance as a sort of reference point for an idea, whether or not the memories accurately depict the past. This is all an introduction to the fact that I have vague memories of a specific episode of the 1960s TV series "Combat!" which may not be particularly accurate, but have remained to illustrate an important principle in my life.

The series dealt with a squad of American soldiers in Europe during World War II. As I remember it, one episode dealt with German snipers hiding unseen in trees, killing members of the squad as they passed. One American soldier, new to the squad, became increasingly agitated as the story progressed. He finally confessed that, although the snipers were camouflaged and hidden in the trees, he could clearly identify them, but for some reason (I believe it was religious) he could not bring himself to cause them harm, so watched powerlessly as other members of the squad were killed by the unseen snipers (which HE could clearly see). Eventually he was convinced to go into the forest with someone else, who could not see the snipers, and the soldier who COULD see the snipers would tell the other guy where they were, and that other guy would shoot them, and then there were no more snipers and the episode ended.

Whether or not my memories of this episode are accurate, it has always illustrated to me the idea that certain people have certain talents, and sometimes things that are easy or obvious for them are difficult or impossible or hidden from others. Perhaps we all have rare talents. It is well-documented that certain people have incredible math skills, able to almost instantly perform complex calculations that are difficult for others. Others can quickly solve any Rubik's cube. I am fair at math, but slow, and struggle with Rubik's cubes.

One talent that I seem to possess has always reminded me of the "Combat!" episode with the snipers hidden in trees. I can spot PROBLEMS. This does not seem like much of a talent, and certainly not unique. What makes it a talent is that often problems that are obvious to me seem difficult for others to see. For some, this is a dubious "gift" since I have no special abilities when it comes to finding SOLUTIONS. Like having the "gift of tongues" without the "gift of interpretation of tongues", or inventing a sound recording device without inventing a sound playback device. Still, often correctly identifying the problem is the key step in the process of solving it.

If nothing else, my own self-perception of having the gift of clearly seeing problems may provide some personal justification for writing this blog. Perhaps I can spot a problem that someone else has been having trouble seeing clearly, or at least provide some small insight that assists someone in utilizing their own talents more fully.