My Brain Hurts

Jason asked the following question:

When you were young, I remember you and mom always working on brain teaser books. I specifically remember one in Florida, where you had a ton of brain teasers in it. Do you think these books are what made you think so much, or do you that because you think so much, you enjoyed those books. In other words, what do you think, environment or genetics?

Do I think it is because of environment, or genetics? Hold on, I need to think about that :) On the particular question at hand (What made/makes me think so much?) I'm going to invent a third option. I don't think there is a specific environmental reason that produced more thinking patterns in my life. I can't pinpoint some kind of food or music from the womb that would have started these traits, nor outside environmental agents that might have caused this trait in myself. That being said, the pattern of thinking in my past (like brain teasers, riddles, technicalities, etc....) is largely responsible for my use of the brain today.

I also can't pinpoint some gene that has determined I will be a "thinker" though I will always test as one on a personality test. At the same time, I come from a well educated family that places value on the importance of learning, so both environmentally (from their value) and genetically (they are well educated) I might have tendencies towards thinking.

More importantly, I would lean toward the area of gifting. Because of my religious beliefs, I believe that my ability to ration/think comes directly from God. I believe it is a gift he has given to me and that I have a responsibility to use it fully. It is largely because of this gift (and one of communication) that I long to both write and speak for a living. I enjoy the time of preparing a message because the "thinking" part is very natural to me, while I love actually delivering the message because the "communicating part" is very fun to me.

I can't pinpoint nature or nurture as a reason for my ability or desire to think. But I have no need to. I believe God has used both my nature and my nurture to foster in me a gift of using my mind. I hope never to lose this gift.

One of my favorite things to use it for is to guess and evaluate the gifts of others.