I have been told I am gifted at different points in my life. I did not see myself as gifted or all that different. My T has explained this in depth with me and much of what you have posted falls into what he has said to me. I think understanding what this means can be very helpful when someone is younger. It can help in reducing the stress that comes from being able to see what others simply cannot. I was always extremely "visual" and I thought everyone was like that, the truth is many simply cannot visualize and instead need to see something to understand it or appreciate it. I could hear a song and play it on the piano without anyone teaching me how to play a piano. I could draw and paint faces that were expressive without anyone showing me as well.

When something just comes together and makes sense and seems easy, one doesn't realize that for others this "easy' just is not there.

The reason it is good to understand this as young as possible is that one can avoid becoming depressed if they are exposed to others that can recognize this and help the individual cultivate it.

I grew up in a time where everyone was expected to learn a certain way and be able to remember and perform within a guideline and getting graded in a way that expressed "achievement".

However, we are all different and many have different "gifts" that come from their family history and genetics where they do have something they "can" be good at that makes "sense" to them. We don't all fit into a designated "box", and therefore cannot be determined "worthy" based just on that box alone.

For example, I saw a special about a very young boy that is so intelligent he is learning and interacting on College level with high honors way beyond what a child his age would be capable of. However, when he was just a toddler he became withdrawn and unresponsive. Then one day his parents got a toy that was mathamatical in nature and put it in front of him to which he responded to profoundly and came alive in every way. Once they saw that they continued to present him with similar toys that had that quality about them and he continued to respond in extremely positive ways and began to show amazing abilities unlike any other, basically he was infact a prodigy.

It may have turned out very differently had these parents not experimented the way they did and he could have stayed withdrawn and unresponsive.

I raised a daughter who had/has dyslexia. While my daughter learned differently, she did in fact have a high IQ, and talents of her own as well. Luckily, I was able to learn about how she is different so I could support her while she was growing and learning, learning the way her brain learns differently.

The thing that is important to understand is that each of us has "qualities" that "can" be nurtured and developed in a way where we can feel more "fulfilled" as a person. If we are able to understand this "fact" it really can reduce the stresses created that come from just being "unique" in whatever way we are "unique".