Your Gift

I stared at her. Just sat there staring.
       "Cut that out, Kate."
       "Um, Reagan? You just told me something I could have you thrown in a mental institute for. Don't you think I can be just a little freaked out?"
       "You believe me then?" Reagan's eyes were wide. She was desperate.
       "Well, there's no way you would lie to me about this. Still, I can't say..." What was I supposed to do? She just told me she had a gift- like a supernatural gift. What is a best friend supposed to say to that?
       "Do you want to see?"
       I nodded solemnly, looking her up and down. I'm not sure what I was looking for, lasers coming out of her eyes? She took off her shoes and socks and warily glanced around her. We were in the middle of a wood, so I didn't think anyone would be watching us. Reagan dug her now bare feet into the ground. She looked up at the sky and felt the tree trunk next to her. Ever so slowly, her body began to float upwards, about three feet above the ground... my friend could fly! I stood there with my mouth open so wide a whole swarm of bees could have flown in.
       She hung, suspended there for about thirty seconds. Her eyes glazed over like someone in a trance. Her hair was the first to change. It began moving like a strong wind was pulling it, but there wasn't so much as a breeze.  It twisted and fell, then something really weird happened. Well, weirder. Reagan's blonde hair began changing color. It started at the roots. Purples and blues and were literally climbing out of her scalp. And if that wasn't enough, her whole body shimmered with light. Sparks flew. It was almost as if she was controlling the light because it traveled in an arc from her body and didn't spread out. It was so beautiful.
       Next, her skin changed. Color seemed to come out from her bones and spread across her skin. The same violet shades from her hair covered her body. At this point, if a green, three-legged creature said, "Take me to your leader," I would have given it the president's address. Reagan was a freaking rainbow. Sparks danced through the trail of chromatic light. I had a hard time believing this was still my friend. I thought it couldn't get any more gorgeous.
       Then she started spinning.
       The arc of brilliance coming from Reagan twisted on itself and began rolling up, starting at the end furthest from us. It hovered in an orb above her head, then lost all its shape and spilled over her. Then, as a finale, the light intensified so that any trace of my friend disappeared and I had to turn away so I wouldn't be blinded.
       When I opened my eyes again, there was just Reagan falling to the grass and collapsing with exhaustion.
       "It... really... wears me out." She gasped between deep inhales. I helped her stand.
       "You're shaking." I said, worriedly.
       "Always do... after that." I waited for her to catch her breath, then we started walking home.
       "What did you do?" I was dying to know how she could do such an amazing thing.
       "Nothing!" Reagan shouted with surprising forcefulness.
       "Nothing? Are you kidding me? I mean you- I saw-"
       "I know what you saw! I didn't do anything. Sure, I floated in the air, but that's all. I can't fly or anything. I float when I do- whatever you want to call it. Whatever it is, it doesn't have a purpose. I just sparkle." She spit these last words out with such obvious disdain that I almost cried.
       "But it doesn't have to have a purpose, does it?" Didn't she know how much I would give to do something like that?
       "Have you ever heard of someone- like a superhero- who could do something really different and not have a reason for it? They saved people. I can't save people with what I do. What good is it?"
       "You don't need to save lives! Heck! That's a stupid reason not to like your- power I guess you could call it. The problem with people these days is they can't just enjoy things for what they are."
       "I don't get what you're saying."
        "Listen, Reagan. What you just did what probably the most beautiful thing I will ever see if I lived ten life times. You have that in you. Gosh, how can I get this through your head? You have such a strong capability of raw beauty. Just enjoy it. If there needs to be a purpose, how about humbling your best friend? It's so weird- I mean, I feel so happy knowing something that pulchritudinous exists."
       We stepped out of the woods and came out to a street in my neighborhood. She didn't say anything for a long while. I shoved my hands in my pockets, wondering if I had said too much. Finally, I heard her say very softly,
       "I think I understand."
       I smiled and then so did she.

I hope Reagan and Kate taught you something- or at least reminded you. We all have talents and special abilities. Not everyone uses them well. Sometimes, we don't know what to do with them.  In the meantime, enjoy what you have been given and share it with those around you.  ^"So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." Ephesians 4:11-13 Wait and pray for God to show you. In the meantime, enjoy what you have been given and share it with others. 
Have a wonderful day!