Misc

Some of us are born with advantages– sight, beauty, wealth. Others never had these benefits, struggling through daily life without abilities or resources that the rest of the world enjoys. But there is one quality, one unalienable right that each of us are born with: potential. 

We all have a spark, a drive to do better. Whether one’s dream is to help others, to become a better person, to protect their loved ones, each of us has a vision of a better world in mind. It’s up to us to use the gifts we were given, no matter what they are, to try and make that world a reality.

And so, it’s heartbreaking when reality gets in the way of your dreams. I’ve seen this firsthand in the challenges I’ve witnessed and overcome. From chronic health problems after Kawasaki’s disease burned through me as a toddler to constant instability as my family chased employment, it seems like my life’s been roadblock after roadblock. 

But as Helen Keller said, it’s one thing to be blind, to encounter obstacles and difficulty. What’s more important is your vision, because without the drive to overcome those problems, having ability means nothing. To me, her quote is a call to action– to remember to keep pushing forward, even if you were dealt a bad hand in life. 

That’s why I continue to pursue my ideal world and ideal self in the face of obstacles, as I hope we all should. Today, I’m building robotics assistants and software tools to level the playing field, to offer those of us born without the advantages that so many don’t consider a chance to thrive. That’s what Helen Keller’s quote means to me. We all have a vision– and it falls to us to make it a reality.

Check out http://www.marveloptics.com/ for the prompt of this essay!