We are awkwardly ordinary. We are amazingly extraordinary
By Carol C. Harder
She walked onstage wearing a conservative, gold brocade dress.
Looking . . .
Dowdy.
Frumpy.
The short, stout figure with thick ankles, unruly curly hair, heavy, dark eyebrows and little make-up looked like someone’s mother from the 1950s. Certainly not someone with the assured self-confidence to be competing on the the United Kingdom’s amateur talent television show, Britain’s Got Talent in 2009.
In introducing herself, she simply stated that she was 47-years-old and had always dreamed of being a professional singer.
Audience members rolled their eyes at the unlikely vocalist seeking fame. The expressions on the judges’ faces mirrored that doubt.
But then, an amazing thing happened. Susan Boyle began to sing. She began to sing “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical, Les Misérables.
It took only a few notes to have the impossible happen. That audience of disbelievers – the entire lot of them – were on their feet for a standing ovation – and erupted into clapping and cheering.
One of the judges, Piers Morgan, exclaimed, “She has the voice of an angel.”
How could the unexpected happen? How could someone so awkwardly ordinary be so amazingly extraordinary?
Susan was prejudged by her appearance – and everyone ended up playing the fool. In a few short moments, those who had “assumed” the least of her had experienced a gamut of emotions – guilt, shame, vindication and hope. Susan Boyle had become a modern-day Cinderella.
The Scottish woman with the mezzo-soprano voice had spoken to the world with power and expression through song, and told its peoples, “Though the odds are against me; though I am judged by the outside ‘packaging,’ I have a spirit and talent inside of me that is beautiful – and I am here to share it with all!”
That first performance by Susan Boyle became an experience that dramatically altered her life. She had been courageous enough to break away from the naysayers and doubting Thomases in order to bring forth her talent. And – she blossomed.
Susan, like all of us, are given gifts. She was born with an incredible voice.
What is your gift?
In God’s hands, we – with all of our own awkwardly ordinariness – are amazing extraordinary!