Personal Development
It's Never Too Late
It’s Never Too Late!
Relentlessly bullied at school, she retreated to the safety of her family. Every now and then she tried to break out of her small world, but failed. A learning disability caused by a lack of oxygen at birth made life difficult.
She made forays into the world of work, but nothing lasted. As the years went by fulfilment was found in taking care of her elderly parents and doing voluntary work in her local community.
But she never quite let her dream die.
She loved to sing and thought she was quite good at it. Her technique was forged in the shower and in front of the mirror; a hairbrush becoming her imaginary microphone.
Painfully shy, every now and then she tried out for a talent quest without success. Still, she sang in local pubs and church choirs. And she always sang at family gatherings.
Her world became dark and lonely after her sister and Mum died. For a long time no one could coax her out of the security of her home. What does a single, middle aged, unemployable, ‘stay at home’ woman do with the rest of her life?
Allowing herself to hope and dream she decided to have another go at a talent quest.
And the rest is history! Over 300 million U tube hits and many millions of albums sold, Susan Boyle is one of the greatest contemporary examples of what journalist and novelist George Eliot described when she wrote:
‘It’s never too late to be what you might have been’.
Susan wanted to sing, to entertain since she was a little girl. Her family knew she had loads of talent, but any attempt to share that talent beyond her village was like pouring water into sand.
Almost fifty, she tried again and her astonishing voice has touched the lives of millions. But the frame of her voice is her personal journey of dealing with and overcoming adversity.
One of the reasons she has become a global icon is that her story is our story. Everyone has difficulties to overcome. Watching Susan’s dream come true, awakened our own dreams.
Regret robs us of our dreams. Regret embezzles energy!
God has placed talents and gifts within us. It’s our responsibility to develop and release them. ‘It’s never too late to be what you might have been’.
