"The Britisch Ugly Duckling" Susan Boyle

Overnight Sensation or Living an Authentic Life?

If you haven’t heard about Susan Boyle’s outstanding performance on Britain’s Got Talent show, you probably live out in the boondocks or have no access to the internet. The first I heard of it on Orrin Woodward's blog.

I have watched her rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” from the Les Miserables several times and I can’t help being moved to tears. It is not just her singing although she has a beautiful voice, and it is also not her courage to sing in front of a big audience which made me wonder. It all came together when our pastor Joseph Schrattenegger at the Ohio Family Church in Columbus showed us the video during Sunday service.



Susan Boyle on Britains Got Talent 2009!! Incredible Voice!! @ Yahoo! Video

I believe what is so precious is that Susan lived an authentic life. Although she has been persecuted and mocked for her somewhat homespun appearance, her life has been that of a winner. In the book “Born To Win” by Muriel James and Dorothy Jongeward describe a winner as having different potentials. Achievement is not the most important thing. Authenticity is. The authentic person experiences self-reality by knowing, being, and becoming incredible, responsive person. Authentic people actualize their own unprecedented uniqueness and appreciate the uniqueness of others.

You are a winner, Susan.

A winner’s timing is right. Winners respond appropriately to the situation. Winners know that for everything there is a season and for every activity a time:
A time to be aggressive and a time to be passive,
A time to be together and a time to be alone,
A time to fight and a time to love,
A time to work and a time to play,
A time to cry and a time to laugh,
A time to confront and a time to withdraw,
A time to speak and a time to be silent,
A time to hurry and a time to wait.

Pastor Joseph talked at length about how seemingly overnight sensations worked all their life without much recognition. "Overnight" really means working hours, days, weeks, and even years in the “dark” without anybody knowing. It is their consistent effort and hard work, their willingness to pay the price no matter what, which eventually will pay off.

Winners believe in themselves when nobody else does. Winners care about the world and other people. Winners make the world a better place for all of us.

He talked about how seemingly overnight on November 9, 1989 the Berlin Wall fell and communism was dispelled. If we look closer into history it took a long time in the making with many unknown heros sacrificing their lives in prisons or being killed in the process.

Pastor Schrattenegger drew the most astonishing parallel to the life of the Messiah. Mocked and rejected, misinterpreted by the media and misrepresented by the religious world, working tirelessly to spread the message of God, he has no concern how he is perceived by “the majority.” He is only looking to do the will of God. He is waiting for the moment when the tide will turn and people will recognize him as an authentic human being who lives according to a higher standard of truth, love, and life.

I believe that’s why I am so moved by Susan Boyle. She unassumingly performed her song. Like The Ugly Duckling in Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tale, she finally discovered her true identity. She has been singing since she is 12 yrs. Old. She kept her dream alive for all of these 35 years waiting for her chance. Apparently, she made one recording before of Cry Me A River, unknowing to anybody. Now, her time came and she was ready.

That is the miracle.