My first Ferris wheel adventure unfolded when I was a mere four years old, and who stood steadfast by my side during that exhilarating journey? None other than my father. His presence marked that thrilling moment and set the tone for the countless times he'd shown up in my life.
My father defied conventional roles, treating me not as a stereotypical baby girl of the family but as a fellow explorer of the world. He patiently coached me through riding a bike, mastering a scooter's mechanics, and steering a car's path. Yet, his mentorship extended far beyond the realm of vehicles.
Under his patient guidance, I learned to pluck melodies from a ukulele's strings and coax harmonious sounds from a harmonica. My eclectic taste in music found its roots in his philosophy, one that embraced diverse fields of knowledge and encouraged learning with genuine passion.
Numbers once conjured a formidable dread within me, and that sentiment persists. Mathematics was a puzzle I grappled with, yet my father, in a twist of fate, urged me toward an engineering path. A perplexing contradiction, it seemed – the man I esteemed above all, pushing me toward a field that seemed inimical to my strengths. Could anything be more paradoxical?
“The purpose of education is to learn and grow. Transform your weakness into a source of power. Embrace your numeric apprehension as an opportunity to learn,” he advised, his words knitting bewilderment into my expression.
He gazed at me with a mixture of amusement and impatience, his eyebrows dancing a lively rhythm, and began, "Make your weakness your…" Before he could finish, I interjected, "your strength."
And so, I embarked on a journey to confront life head-on, relegating fear to a mere specter trailing behind me.
With each passing academic year, I hurdled obstacles like an exchange student in an unfamiliar land. A daunting path it was, rife with transient challenges. I navigated through an environment where women in engineering were a rarity, a rose among thorns.
However, my resilience led to four consecutive years on the Dean's list, a testament to my perseverance in a domain historically dominated by men.
Then came the day of the Board exam, a day painted in anxiety. A lone math question awaited, Derive the formula for the area of a Circle! Can you guess the outcome? I emerged triumphant, passing the Electrical Engineers Board exam – a feat that mightily confounds my relationship with mathematics.
My accomplishment became a source of pride, a laurel atop my unique journey.
The lesson resounds: Take the leap. And though aquatic fears bound me, they did not deter my passion for kayaking, my cherished water sport. "After all, life vests exist for a reason," he reassured.
"Numbers daunt you? Be pragmatic, wield a calculator!"
My father, an unyielding wellspring of guidance, has bequeathed wisdom aplenty. He remains my hero, not only on Father's Day but in every waking moment. His influence stretches across the fabric of my life, an unwavering force that shapes my narrative.
