Searching for Bobby Fischer

I have chills. I just watched the introduction to “Searching for Bobby Fischer,” a movie that is a bit about Bobby Fischer, first World Chess Champion from the United States, but it is a lot about a seven year old boy named Josh Waitzkin, who just started playing chess one day after watching it being played in the park, and he knew how to play, and he knew how to win.

Bobby Fischer is just one example of what I wish I had, what I wish I was. I say what I wish I had because Josh had a gift, a gift that was just in him, and one that no one else had, no one else understood, and no one else controlled, he also had a focus when playing that was impossible to duplicate, he just saw the game, saw all of the pieces, saw all the moves, and that was in his head, lastly, he had a kindness about him, a goodness that was remarkable, my mother would say I had that when I was young, others would say I still do, but his was just a pure, good heart. I say what I wish I was because to feel what it is like to “just play,” as the main character in the movie “Good Will Hunting” says while trying to describe what it is for him to see math, what it is to be a genius at any level relative to anything.

There are those that have these gifts, that are born with an innate ability, some do great things with these gifts, and some don’t, but they have these gifts. There are many more such people, but many of them you never even hear about because their gifts come at a price, come with strings, come with a pressure and expectation that most cannot face or deal with. Others have these gifts, but don’t have the means, or the opportunity, to show these gifts, grow these gifts, use them in the way they were intended.

I am in awe of these people, and I am extremely happy that people such as this exist, and even happier that some, not many, but some, get to use their gifts and show their gifts to us, allow us to share in these gifts even if just briefly.

Josh Waitzkin’s Biography and Website
Charlotte Church Biography and Website
Josh Groban Biography and Website
Tiger Woods Biography and Website
Gioria Fumanti Biography and Website

Thank you again for getting this far with me.