Mass Destruction: Wasted talent from the inside

The recent announcement of singer Whitney Houston's new stint into rehab made me shake my head once again in regret for a loss. Here is this woman who had a tremendous gift, and such promise, and had the opportunities that most people will never see in a lifetime, and she just can't get out of her own way. Not only is her gift deteriorating, but she has seemingly lost her way as a person. That is the tragedy of wasted talent. It is there to be nurtured and cultivated, and is often destroyed during the implosion of the owner.
That brings me to my topic, which is just that...Wasted talent.
Some folks are their own worst enemy. They go through life with something special that God, The Universe, or whatever higher power you believe in has given them, and they don't treat themselves as important holders of the gift. The gift may come very easy to them, and they are able to use this gift on a high level. Other people may see or hear this gift, or be treated to the benefits of it whether it be art related, intellect related, sports, or some other type of skill, and be envious while also in awe of such talent. It is almost as if they have been touched in some ways by something divine. The problem lies within the house of that talent. Many talented individuals just have something inside them that makes them great, and also makes them destroy themselves. There seems to be this parallel universe inside of them that can't sustain some of the greatness by itself. There is a self sabotage mechanism that makes some individuals create their own havoc and chaos and starts the engine of self ruin. We have seen many brilliant folks somehow destroy everything that is within them, and it is them alone that have done it.
Now sometimes it is other individuals that are hanging around or associated with that provide instability, and crap influence, so there are occasionally bad outside influences that seem to dominate, and pull someone with a gift towards destructive behaviors. Having folks around you that lift you up, and provide you with good sound advice, and help to steer you away is crucial, but the decision is ultimately up to you to be pulled. Gifted people are very susceptible to this outside stimuli because everyone wants to be around them good and bad, not only because of their gift, but because of the peripheral things that their gift brings. Primarily money, fame, and access to worlds where they would never get to without being associated with someone such as the gifted.
But most of the time it is the gifted themselves that get involved in destructive behavior because of all the previous things mentioned. People start to tell  them just how great they are, and how they can do anything they want, and they start to believe that they are indestructible and that regular rules just don't apply. The gift that got them to whatever level they happen to inhabit, falls to the wayside as they start to engage in all of the fantasies that they have in their heads, and all of the insecurities or megalomania traits come out. The ruin then begins because the torture inside never stops. Some just don't have the inner discipline to handle the gift AND the temptation and responsibility that comes with it. Responsibility because the gift may be just that,,Something that was given, and if it was given, it can be taken away when not used, or abused. And when the destructive nature of abuse to one's self begins, the gift will suffer, and before that person realizes it, the gift has waned considerably never to reach the heights it once had, because of age, or sheer abuse of it.
Those that have the discipline to nurture, and take care of their gift, and themselves as the home of the gift, usually have a few demons themselves but they realize the importance of this gift and keep the worst demons in check, because that gift is what they protect, and hold sacred, and don't let anyone, or anything near it.

The one's that can't get out of their own way end up sadly losing the thing that defined who they are, and lose the wonderful potential that could have come from nurturing what they had to the fullest. It is a tragic loss for the gift itself because it winds up being wasted on one that just couldn't handle it. Everyone has some sort of gift. If you have it, use it to the fullest of your ability. If you don't know where it is, then find it within yourself, nurture it, and guard it with everything you're worth. There is no greater loss in the world than wasted talent. Because not only is the talent itself wasted, but the person who has/had it becomes defined by only two words later in life...WHAT IF...