Fuel for the soul

The other day, when looking at various injustices that I see going on around me, I was rather depressed. Usually I get angry and that motivates action. But when I get depressed about what I see being done to others I sometimes fall into a depression that quiets me.

At that time I wrote: "When life seems like a load of crap, when the world seems inside-out, when justice is nowhere to be found, I take refuge in the talent of others."

I really do. When I see another person accomplishing something that they only dream of, it feeds my soul. I sometimes cry for them, with joy. I can find great pleasure in the accomplishments that others achieve. I sometimes feel I can take greater pleasure in their accomplishments than in my own, perhaps because we are all taught to play down our own talent, perhaps because exhibiting talent makes one a target.

I had never heard of Jack Vidgen, but I suspect I'll hear more about him as time goes by. And now, in England, another boy has stepped out of the shadows to show a talent that I doubt many of his friends even recognized he had. Ronan Parke astounded me. He's two years younger than Vidgen and seems to be just a small boy, lost on a very huge stage. His absolute terror at what he is about to do is apparent. He does it anyway. And I'm thankful he did. Watch this.

You can see his knees shaking with nervousness. But his life is now completely different. He has been flooded with television requests and numerous people comparing him to Justin Bieber. He told one reporter he doesn't want people thinking "there goes another Justin Bieber." He said: "I want to be myself. I don't want people to think 'That's the new Justin Bieber', I want them to think, 'That's Ronan Parke'." Amen. And he got good advice about school, don't bother going back. I seriously mean that. His success would be enough to spur on the envious hatred of the school bullies. He's better off concentrating on his career and getting schooled at home or with a tutor. Trust me, he'll be able to afford a tutor.