In January 2022, young Baby Ting was in the process of learning to fly as his flight feathers were gradually growing back, and he was busy exploring various areas within the home. One day, he accidentally flew into the kitchen door's window. Upon checking on him, I found that he was unharmed. It occurred to me that he collided with that particular window because it lacked decals or blinds, unlike the other windows. With a clear view of the outside, he innocently attempted to fly towards it out of curiosity. Unaware of the vast and perilous world beyond, he perceived it as an open space to explore, failing to grasp the obstacle of transparent glass. If he possessed human-like cognition, after the collision he might have pondered, "What was that, anyway?"
A few years ago, I believed that I had a clear path to pursue a graduate degree at one of the many schools I had applied to after completing my astronomy studies. My mentor had assured me that my research work and first-author published articles would make it easy for me to get into an astronomy graduate program. Despite my efforts in preparing applications and taking entrance exams for two years, I did not receive any acceptances. I was puzzled by this unexpected outcome as I had not foreseen any obstacles. Despite my determination, I eventually realized that it was more of a "closed door" situation rather than a lack of perseverance on my part.
It became clear that the door was indeed closed when my younger sister fell seriously ill with a terminal disease that would ultimately result in her passing away from this earth. This challenging period made me understand that if I had gone off to grad school, I would have been studying in a distant country while she needed me the most during the most crucial phase of her life. My family also required my presence, and I would have had to abandon my academic aspirations to be by her side and support my family throughout the two-year struggle.
I am forever thankful that the "clear glass" was where it needed to be, stopping me from being swept away from my home that required my presence. What the time appeared a confusing obstacle, was actually a providential safeguard.
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