WARNING: The title of this post has nothing to do with it’s content.

I don’t really have anything to say tonight.

Well, that’s not entirely true. I always have something to say, but tonight I’m letting my thoughts percolate. Those of you who understand StrengthsFinder-speak will understand when I say, one of my Strengths is Intellection. That doesn’t mean I’m an intellectual. It means, in the words of Gallup themselves:

You like to think. You like mental activity. You like exercising the “muscles” of your brain, stretching them in multiple directions. This need for mental activity may be focused…. On the other hand, [it] may very well lack focus. You are the kind of person who enjoys your time alone because it is your time for musing and reflection. You are introspective. In a sense you are your own best companion, as you pose yourself questions and try out answers on yourself to see how they sound. This introspection may lead you to a slight sense of discontent as you compare what you are actually doing with all the thoughts and ideas that your mind conceives. Or this introspection may tend toward more pragmatic matters such as the events of the day or a conversation that you plan to have later. Wherever it leads you, this mental hum is one of the constants of your life.

Finding out that there was actually a name and a reason for all my mental activity, for that constant hum, was such a freeing and hope-filled thing! Finally (!!) I had proof I wasn’t just a “daydreamer,” as many a childhood teacher had labeled me, or a space-cadet freak, as some of my schoolmates might have said. There’s a cool-sounding, legitimate reason for my mental exercise. Even better, it’s a Strength. Awesome. Rock on!

Gallup’s paragraph on this Strength really describes me quite well. Add in my other top four strengths — Restorative, Input, Connectedness and Command — and you’ve a pretty good picture of me. Granted, this doesn’t take into account my personality, my spiritual giftings — and the effect of my “family of origin issues”, as the psycho-babble goes — but I’ve found that they all seem to fold together and compliment each other, like all the pieces of a mosaic.

Isn’t it amazing how God has put us together! Even if you and I share all five of our top Strengths, we still will be distinctly different individuals. God’s imprint on us, through the combinations of our personalities, Strengths, spiritual gifts and life experiences, is as unique as a fingerprint. His fingerprint on us.

How we use this unique combination to serve others — or to serve ourselves, whichever way we choose to go — is our imprint on the world. That is such an incredible thought, isn’t it! We leave an indelible, and unique imprint on this world. For better or for worse. We leave a mark. I wonder what mine looks like… without the fun-house mirrors of my own insecurity-filled self-perception…?

Which brings me back to the original point of this post… yes, there really is a reason for this post…. sheesh, you’d think you’d never read someone’s ramblings before… Barney and I uncovered a whoooole lotta stuff in my counseling time today. It was a powerful time. We were at it for 2 full hours. He is very gracious with his time, I tell ya! We covered… er, uncovered — a lot of ground today…. and I need time for all my thoughts to perk and simmer. They’ll be ready to spew forth from my brain in a few days… probably… maybe… check in later and I’ll let you know…

Wow, 652 words in this post. That’s a whole lotta words to say a whole lotta nothin’…. Maybe I should consider a career in politics. Do you think it’s too late to throw my hat in the ring for the presidential election?