Jeff Dabe is a famous arm wrestler from Minnesota, who has won many awards during his long sports career. For his giant hands he was nicknamed Popeye, like the character of the cartoon “Popeye the Sailor”. It’s no wonder, because at 1 meter 75 cm in height, his forearm circumference is 49 centimeters. For comparison, Arnold Schwarzeneger’s bicep size in his prime years was 54-57 centimeters. Envious people even suspected Jeff of gigantism or elephantiasis, but experts at the University of Minnesota ruled it out. That’s the kind of Atlantean the American soil gave birth to. Judging by the photos, Jeff’s classmates didn’t bully him as a child.
If Jeff ended up being a violinist, that would be unusual. And he probably would have had to overcome a lot of obstacles along the way. But a successful career as an arm wrestler — that’s just natural and normal. The unique anatomy of his body practically challenges the whole world: “Who’s the most daring one? Come out and fight!”. To ignore such an asset would be as sinful as to leave uncut the Cullinan, the world’s largest diamond.
But life would have turned out differently if Jeff had rejected his gift. It’s easy to imagine an alternate scenario where a boy grows up deeply depressed over the belief that he’s a monster, a beast, a freak. This, by the way, is what happens when a child’s peculiarity causes horror, shame, or disgust in some of his parents. Then Jeff would dream passionately of changing himself, trying to become like everyone else. But, of course, it would be in vain.
Apparently, Jeff was lucky — his parents loved and accepted him for who he was. The attitude of significant Others toward him is eventually internalized by the child, becoming one of the voices within. But Jeff’s caption to his childhood photo on Instagram reads, “Born this way 😜 Different and unashamed 👊🏼”.
What about you? Have you figured out your superpower?
Yours sincerely,
-Alexander
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