Destiny's child

Ishita Gupta. Age 13. Hates physics.Loves the water. Hates fish. Loves to argue.

Whenever I look at my first born, I often wonder at the miracle that is life. How two totally different people create a child with traits that are so familiar yet so unknown.

Her "hates physics" trait is inherited from me. As a child I always felt overwhelmed whenever I studied physics. My brain would stop, sputter and then completely stall. I often entertained the thought of suing my school authorities for inflicting such mental trauma on a budding mind. Why was that hateful subject compulsory? My husband on the other hand can perhaps solve some complex and inexplicable numerical in his sleep. It is another matter that when it comes to communication his mind goes blank.

"Loves the water" is inherited from her dad. Both father and daughter can spend the whole day in water. I on the contrary have a panic attack whenever my toes get wet in the pool.

So who is Ishita Gupta, age 13? She is not me, or else she would have loved fish. She is not her dad as instead of arguing continuously, she would have perfected the art of hiding her emotions.

The twisted ladder shaped structure she has inherited from both of us have made her distinct. Like an expert trapeze artist she has learned to swing from both these ladders and maintain her own individuality and her balance. Her chromosomes, 23 from mine and 23 from her dad, have made her a blend of us but have also made her a unique person.

As parents we would love to see our own reflections on our children. Every time I confront a part of Ishita that I do not like, I accusingly point a finger at my husband. He returns the look whenever she does badly in her science or math test. But this unique girl, who hates physics and loves to swim with equal fervour denies it vehemently that she remotely resembles any of her parent. Can anything be more horrific than inheriting your personality from your parents at age 13?

So Ishita Gupta, age 13, has decided to call herself destiny's child. She has realized that any success that she achieves is hers. Not her father's, not her mother's. She is the scriptwriter of her own life.

And swinging from ladders is purely for fun.