The morals imparted by my parents during my childhood days were more than just guidelines. Perhaps they served as the foundation for me to build a better life until I grew up as an adult.

Tripping down memory lane, I grew up while my father was away from us, but my mother did not fail to impart to us morals that guided my behavior, influenced my decisions, and even shaped my character.

Even though my father was far from home for how many years, he had the same principles as my mother. One of the profound pieces of wisdom my parents had always emphasized to me was, “Intelligence must come with character.” I must say that this principle has impacted both my personal and professional decisions.

Since I started studying, I used to be a consistent honor student in class. From a young age, my parents always reminded me that intelligence is not just a measure of academic achievement but it must come with character. I was often reminded back then that intelligence is useless without good character. And, I should have encompassed significant matters in life such as wisdom, integrity, and empathy in a sense of how I socialize with people in any field.

And now, as I am becoming older, I firmly believe that this has become a guide to me as I cope with various situations in life, as I become a professional teacher and a leader in my institution.

As a curriculum coordinator in our school, I have always been listening to my team and my colleagues as I understand their points of view and perspectives, and support them as well. This approach has helped me to have a positive work environment and at the same time build a strong team, with the mantra, “One team, One Heart”. I must say that my emphasis on having a good character helped me to connect with people in a deeper sense to lead with both a heart and a head.

Not only in my workplace but as well as with understanding my family and friends have also helped me in resolving conflicts and building stronger bonds no matter how hard the situation is. And most of all, the best lesson I have heard from them is to value humility. That is to remain humble come what may.

Indeed, the morals passed down to me by my parents in my childhood have been powerful principles that have shaped my life, not to mention my personal and professional journey. And I felt a light in my heart knowing that my parents think about what is beneficial even if sometimes the world becomes not kind to me at times.

Despite the complexities of life, my parents have instilled in me that life is not just to be a successful individual, but to be a good human being as well in a world where intelligence could lead to a blend of undesirable characters. Perhaps attitude is the most important thing and it matters most to me.

Disclaimer: All texts and pictures are my own unless otherwise stated.