The curse of intelligence!

Strange, right! How can intelligence be a curse? It's the most sought after and admired thing in the world. Intelligence is money, right?

True. Very true. But let's look at it in one other way. Being intelligent also means you are acutely self-aware and self-awareness can be a curse. It tells you exactly what you want and how you want it.  That is a good thing but when you move from the professional to the social and emotional sphere, you are basically moving into grey areas. Society demands compromises - on principles, in relations, in friendships, basically everywhere. And when you are so acutely self-aware of the motives of other people; when you know why people are being nice to you and what they actually want is for you to fall down bare-faced into the sand, and yet you have to play your cards well and compromise - that's where intelligence sucks. It would be good if you cannot see so clearly past the facade but you do. It would be great if for once, you can actually believe some nice things people say to you. But in general, deep down you know only too well that this is all a terrific charade. And that's how intelligence can make you lonely. You disconnect from people and become emotionally detached. You tend to see everything that's happening to you from a third person's point of view. You cannot connect to people because you feel they cannot understand your thought processes, but strangely enough people connect to you.

This may all read like terribly self-propping and egoistic but that is not my intention in writing this. My intention is solely to point out that great creativity and intelligence is also accompanied by terrible loneliness. I have always thought that being average is a great blessing in life. Your life follows a certain path and is easier. But to be always the odd one out, to be always carving your own path and thinking your own thoughts - thinking without a pause, so much so that the mind starts hurting - that can weary your soul. It is a double-edged sword. You cut yourself as you cut through the obstacles in life. By the time you reach the end of your journey, the pain stops feeling like pain. Some burdens are meant to be carried by some people - fate chooses them for it. If you are the odd one out, I wish you luck and strength. Pray, because only faith can give you the courage to reach the end line.

Dr. Faroha Liaqat

http://avoiceforislam.blogspot.com