If you asked me when I was 12 years old, what my hobbies and interests were, I would have answered that I have none. If you asked me the same question three years later, I would have answered: reading, writing, acting and painting. How did I suddenly discover that I do have talents and interests? I would certainly give credit for this to my father. He invested in transferring me from a schooling system that depended solely on reciting, to a system which built my whole personality and changed my perspective. My primary school was stronger in terms of languages, mathematics, science, etc. However, I only remember using very few of these skills in my university education, job or life. On the other hand, the school that I went to during my secondary and high school gave me all the skills I needed, which made me who I am today. I learned that I am a confident person not a shy girl. I learned that I can perform the best plays on stage, and that I’m a great public speaker. I actually discovered for the first time, the joy of reading a book. I discovered that reading 600 pages is not a lot, and that I can and I want to read more. I learned that I’m a talented writer. I can express myself in stories, articles and poems.
I learned to plan for the first time, how to put objectives and measure them. I also learned how I enjoyed holding a painting brush and that I can make great paintings, which surprised my family and friends. My father invested in my skills, in creating memories and lifetime relationships. The investment was worth every dirham. I really wonder what a lifeless life I would have had if my father didn’t take the decision that changed me forever.
The reader is an Emirati writer currently working as an Assistant Manager of Strategic Planning and Business Development at Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development
