From Math to Art
Dreams evolve. Go ahead, chase them because, why not?
“When I grow up, I want to be an engineer,” I said with all the confidence of a 5-year-old who just really loved math.
I loved solving word problems (and I’d thank my dad for making it enjoyable to learn). Maybe you had a similar moment—a clear, straightforward dream as a kid?
By the time I got to high school, the path was pretty practical, engineering or medicine if you wanted to stay on a scholarship.
I didn’t even consider the arts. Have you felt that pressure too—the old “starving artist” idea, the belief that art is just a hobby?
So I stayed on my “sensible” path, and a lot of friends did the same.
The Day-to-Day: Math and Problem-Solving
Today, I’m still wrapped up in math. I use logic, structure and finding ways to get an answer to a complex problem, daily at work. I’m my 11-year-old’s personal math tutor, too. But as I get older, I catch myself wondering, What if I’d chosen a different course in college? What if I’d pursued an art related path?
Dreaming of a Life Where I Just…Create
Do you ever wonder about spending your day doing what you love purely for the joy of it? No expectations, no “practical” reasons—just creating because it lights you up?
Sometimes, I imagine myself doing that, fully immersed in creating—whether it’s written work, crafts, or training guides for my present and future students.
It’s a completely different kind of challenge, one that taps into imagination, beauty, passion, and purpose.
Rediscovering Old Dreams
As adults, we get a second chance to revisit old dreams. What if we made a little space for the things we set aside?
For me, leaning into art now doesn’t mean letting go of math. It’s creating space for both.
My journey may have started with math, but I’m finally here ready to let art play a leading role.
After all, we were born to create—to be artists, to be makers.
Maybe there’s a dream you’d like to dust off too. That’s one of the gifts of getting older—we get to choose to make our lives fuller, right?