Susan Boyle

Has been searched more than Lindsay Lohan and Brittany Spears. The overnight sensation has perplexed millions and perhaps changed percpetions of what beauty looks like. The woman who has never been kissed is having suitors lining up. Bravo to her - for getting yourself on the show and stepping onto the stage and owning her power.
But I have to ask, "why now?" With such an amazing voice, why was she only discovered now? She apparently had a vocal coach. He had to know she was a sensation. So why was her talent never noticed? Why was she not already a celebrity, even a local one?
If people could so easily dismiss her gift, what else are we, as a society, as friends, families, co-workers, individuals overlooking in those around us? How are our judgements creating perceptions of others based on snippets of what we observe? Creating stories about people regardless of the fact that we may not know them completely and fully. Even if what we observe is true, it may not be the truth about that individual.
The Susan Boyle phenonomen may have taught us to look deeper, beyond appearances, beyond our biases and find the beauty, the value that each and every one of us brings to this world.
But let me ask you, what if Susan didn't have an amazing voice? What if Susan Boyle took that stage and did not perform well? Then what? Would her new found fans have embraced her as they are now for her courage to audition or would they have turned on her becoming fan-enemies instead, mocking her and never letting her forget her imperfections? Would all of us still see her beauty, and her value? Probably not. But does that mean she's not a talented person because we didn't see it? My answer is no. It may mean that we just didn't look deep enough.
What's your answer?