Brilliance

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Human brilliance is often measured by how intelligent a person is — and how that intelligence is used to save lives, to benefit society, to meet a serious need, to attain progress.

We are also awestruck when a person’s brilliance — combined with startling uniqueness and creativity — comes up with a solution or an idea that just about escaped everyone.

And then, of course, there’s one kind of brilliance which the world kowtows to — the one that makes a person unbelievably, obscenely, insanely wealthy.

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I’m sure we all agree that a stratospheric IQ can create things way beyond the realm of the ordinary. I’m sure we’ve seen brilliant people think out of the box — and, in the process, save a company, a conglomerate, a country.

But beyond money or fame, the most admirable brilliance I’ve ever seen is the one that has to do with having a superior emotional quotient (EQ) which is particularly used to help others.  People like this are a gift to mankind. They share their brilliance in ways that far outshine and far outdo what utilitarian brilliance can achieve.

Because EQ has a lot to do with treating people with respect. Being sensitive to their feelings without being judgmental. Understanding their situation. Being concerned about their future and well-being. Recognizing their value, even if they’re no longer of any use to you.

You’ve probably met people who instinctively knew what you needed when you were facing a tough job or tough times. They were brilliant in the way they knew, anticipated, and gave you exactly what you needed, at just the right time. Like they were mind-readers.

You’ve probably met a person who reached out and gave you the kind of help you needed in your new school, your new home, the new province or country where you moved to.

You probably had a boss (or know of one) who never forgot the crucial things his staff did to make him successful, even if he had already “ascended” to the big leagues. For example, I had a boss who made sure that we, her division chiefs, got the maximum benefits (and more): cars, housing loans, travels and conferences here and abroad to broaden our work experience, connections that helped us even when we weren’t working together anymore. She made sure that as our department gained recognition, all of us who contributed to her success were generously rewarded. No wonder, until today, we remain the best of friends.

Or how about my classmate who knew I was doing badly in Calculus, then out of the blue she offers to tutor me after school — sending her driver to fetch me and bring me home, always feeding me a delicious merienda while she tutored me? She was, and is, brilliant not only in Math but more importantly, in one of the most crucial areas in life: the ability to be a true friend.

Being brilliant when it comes to understanding people and treating them well is, I believe, a kind of brilliance that matters a lot to God.

It’s the kind of brilliance that builds up people, builds friendships, and builds bridges that restore relationships. It’s the kind of brilliance that leaves a person better than when you found him/her.

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