Superpowers

On July 4th, I caught an episode or two of The Greatest American Hero on SyFy. Oh, c'mon; it's sort of science fiction! And it works for an Independence Day marathon. It's "American," after all!

If you're not old enough to remember the show, or have just forgotten it, it's a simple premise. Aliens visit and give a superhero costume, complete with cape, to high-school teacher Ralph. I've forgotten the details, but somehow Ralph connects with FBI agent Bill, and together they spend an hour each week catching the bad guys. Unfortunately, Ralph doesn't have an instruction manual for his suit. Anything it allows him to do--fly, run super fast, or exercise some sort of telepathic vision--he's got to discover by old-fashioned trial and error.

I remember enjoying the show back in the day. You should know I'm a sucker for nostalgia, especially the '80s. (Was this really from 1981‽) I remember enjoying the show back in the day. William Katt's hair was adorable! And who doesn't love Robert Culp (RIP)? Poor Ralph. He just wants to teach his class of misfit kids, but has to do the right thing and fight crime, learning as he goes.

It dawned on me that Ralph isn't the only one without an instruction manual. Isn't everyday life like that? Sure, we know what we're supposed to do. We learn that from family, friends, school, church. But how do we know what we're capable of? How do we discover our superpowers and how to use them? Just like Ralph, we've got to keep trying. You don't know if you're a good cook until you try. And you may only learn the difference between a bulb of garlic and a clove of garlic by making the mistake once. You might be born with incredible musical talent, but you won't know until you sit in front of the piano or pick up a guitar. Your friends might consider you a supportive and empathetic listener, but you won't know how to do it well until you've had some practice. How to be a good parent? Read all the books you want. It just takes time to find out out what works best for you and your child.

Sometimes it feels like I'm wearing a cape but don't know how to access all its wondrous powers. How come everyone else seems to know what they're doing? Then I remember that nobody really has an instruction manual...we all have to make our own journey to discover how to do what it is we're meant to do. Try, try again.