My Father's Influence

As a child with asthma, I have always required extra care from my family. My childhood was plagued by asthma, and the environment I lived in a decade ago only served to exacerbate my condition. My father, along with other family members, always cared for me quite intensively. It was my father, along with others in my family, who alleviated my symptoms and enabled me to live a slightly happier childhood. Sometimes I wondered what kind of magic my father had that made it possible for my sickness to subside. With childish curiosity, I observed what my family did at home and in the workplace. It was then that my family members began to influence me significantly.

There exists one common characteristic among most of my family members; they are all physicians. At first, even though I had no idea what a doctor was, I knew that they were all prestigious individuals. Noticing my interest in his job and career, my father took me to his workplace and let me follow him around. I could remember my observations of the hospital: it was white, roomy, and grandiose. I was both impressed and disappoi...