Which of your genetic gifts are you most grateful for/happy about?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

We are all “gifted” in one way or another…as well as cursed. A great deal of who we are is completely outside our control, so there’s no point in being proud, or humble or ashamed about it. Our appearance, intelligence, beauty, singing ability, flexibility…whatever.

That being said, we are, of course, very much in control of how we enhance or diminish our fundamental attributes, certainly. We may be born genetically beautiful, but screw it up by our actions. (This would be me. I would be/was considered everything from “pretty” to actually beautiful. When I was very young, everyone was convinced I would grow up to be a model. I was exotic, almost Asian looking, very pretty eyes, great skin, beautiful hair, nice teeth, tall, long legs… But my genes also predisposed me to easy weight gain and an addictive personality. I got fat. At some points, VERY fat, and screwed it all up.) We may have a natural flexibility, but no one is a contortionist without making some effort.

This all occurred to me because lately I’ve had reason to be enormously grateful for my brain. I was incredibly fortunate to be born with a really excellent brain. My ability to learn and understand things, to figure things out, just plain rocks. And that is not a statement that has any ego in it, because I have nothing whatsoever to do with it. I didn’t create it, it’s the way I was made.

And because it has been so evident to me lately, and so useful, I am very aware and grateful. I would say it is my favorite thing about myself, absolutely. I feel incredibly fortunate.

So…what about you? Which of your genetic gifts are you most grateful for?

And I guess while I’m at it we should look at the flip side…which are we most unhappy about?

And hey… what are we most proud of that we ARE responsible for?

I have to ponder those last two myself.

Have at it!

(I will guess, this being The Dope, after all, that many of you will be most appreciative of your good brains as well. They are common around here. )

2

And hey, go ahead and list more than one, if you like. I am also very grateful that both my parents had lovely, rich voices and passed them on to me.

3

I think health mostly. I am young, so it’s difficult to judge, but most of the health ailments in my family are from external sources (labor, poor eating habits, smoking) I think if I treat myself well I should live into the 80s.

I am also grateful to be intelligent…well most of the time. Sometimes I wish I could just live in happy ignorance with a beautiful girl. Nope, my stupid brain causes more problems for me then it is worth i think.

4

Intelligence, certainly. A natural artistic ability as much so.

5

Of the ones I can think off the top of my head, I would say that I’m glad to have her good eyesight. Almost everyone else on both sides of my family needs to wear glasses but my eyes have stayed strong over the years. I always find random things outside, can spot words or objects from a farther distance, and I’m the one everyone calls in when they need to quickly find a needle in the carpet or something.

As for the one I’m most unhappy about, I would say that I have my mom’s stubbornness too, or so I’ve been told.

6

Up side:
Being male. :wink:

Size and physical strength.

I play card games well but am average with advanced math. ( anything above + - * x )
Ability to position myself in space and time with and without maps.

Natural willingness to follow directions and experiment later with a basic understanding to work from.

Used to have a good memory. ( I’m old now. )

Natural love of water and things nautical.

Willingness to go forward through my fear.

Down side:
Glass ½ empty type.
Prone to depression.
Loner:
Watcher;

Favorite place is out in the garden eating worms and plotting revenge and muttering, "You’ll be sorry… "

7

My kind of freaky ability to get physically strong, which is surprising on a fairly tiny (5’3") female frame. Maybe it’s because I’m descended from short little people who toiled in coal mines for centuries. I’ve had jobs that required me to lift almost 100 pounds and carry it (sometimes up three flights of stairs!). Men who’d see me about to lift something would rush over to “let me carry that for you, sweetie” and be shocked at what I could lift. :slight_smile:

I also grasp foreign languages readily, which according to my dad runs in the family. All of his aunts, uncles and grandparents were multilingual, with my great grandmother speaking I think, four languages. Not bad for a woman who had the equivalent of a primary school education!

8

I inherited intelligence, sensitivity and an open, nonjudgemental nature.

Along with dyslipidemia/coronary artery disease, a taste for alcohol, anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.

Overall though, life is good.

9

I find that the things I’m most unhappy about “inheriting” have more to do with the modeling my parents did than with anything genetic…but when it comes to the genetics I guess it’s the easy-peasy weight gain.

And longpath, you’re funny. All that depression and anxiety…but life is good! I’d say you’ve done a good job overcoming your predispositions.

10

Definitely my intelligence. I’m not a genius for sure- lacking about 15 points, but I’m pretty smart and quick to learn things. This has served me well. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be stupid- how depressing that would be.

11

The most obvious thing I inherited is creativity. Both of my parents were artists, and though I never intended it, that’s what I have ultimately become. And there are aspects of my work that can be traces back to each of my parents.

I also inherited a gift for math and music, from my father. When I was a kid I was frighteningly good at math. Now, not so much.

On the downside . . . I inherited chronic depression, dental problems, diabetes, coronary artery disease, heart murmur, OCD, poor eyesight, obesity, allergies, etc., etc., etc.

12

I come from a family gifted with beautiful hair and skin and some musical ability. We are also cursed with short necks and a strong tendency to develop diabetes. Nearly all the children born into my family are very very cute as little ones and end up wearing glasses or contacts as they mature—myopia runs rampant amongst my family members.

13

Isn’t it awfully nice to have a penis?

14

I agree- I was just thinking that it would be nice to have one right now. :stuck_out_tongue:

15

My vision and my immune system
I have EXCELLENT vision and can spot things and descirbe them in detail that are way way far away

but the best is my immune system. Not counting food poisoning (once) I have not been sick in almost ten years. No stomach issues, no cold, no flu, no stuffy nose…absolutely nothing. This is more extraordinary when you take into consideration that I take terrible care of myself. I never watch what I eat, I don’t cleanse very well, I don’t take vitamins and never eat veggies or anything. I just simply don’t get sick.

16

I have naturally good teeth – they all grew in straight and good. No impacted teeth, no braces, only ever had to have one removed, and then a wisdom tooth grew in to replace it.

Unlike a lot of women I’ve known, my periods aren’t long or heavy, and they don’t hurt me, or make me moody or sad. I’ve never had any ‘feminine problems’ other than yeast infections, not anything really wrong ‘down there’, not even a UTI.

17

I am grateful for my prehensile toes.

Ahh…multitasking.

18

Looks (a stunning chance given the source material).

19

My brothers and I inherited a panther-like ability to sneak up on people from our dad.

It’s not that I try to freak people out. I just don’t like to stomp around and announce my presence like a hippo. But sometimes I approach people too quietly and they recoil in shock when they turn around and see me. Bummer.

20

I’m told I’m very charming and that I have an uncanny ability to read people. My sociology professor–whom I’d grown very close too–told me, “don’t take this the wrong way, but if you were a crooked sort you could be the most accomplished con man in the last half-century!” Gee thanks :rolleyes:

I met him half way and became a salesman. :cool: