The One Who Does Math, and Makes Pies

Picture from Google Images

When Derek and I were first married we were both attending BYU.  As a part of my general education I needed to take a college algebra class.  Math isn't my favorite, and I was afraid I would not do well.  I explained to Derek that my sister "Tina is the one who does math".  He asked why Tina doing math meant that I couldn't.  I figured she got all the math talent, and I didn't.  I had some pretty good memories of how I was NOT a genius at math during high school, and how it seemed easy for her.  This must mean I just couldn't do it, right?

Then one day my sister Jenny called to discuss assignments for Thanksgiving Dinner.  When we were talking about pies she said something like, "Oh, Tina is the one who makes pies."  I got off the phone and told Derek what she had said, and I also told him, in a slightly incensed voice, that I could make perfectly delicious pies!  I suspect he found this amusing and used it to prove the point he had been trying to make.  Just because one person in the family is good at something, doesn't mean someone else in the family can't be good at it too!  This is true even if it comes easier to one person than another.

I did take that college algebra class, and thanks to Derek's good tutoring, I got an A.  Of course I always liked algebra better than geometry or trigonometry, which seem to leave me feeling lost and empty headed, but I'm still rather proud that I did so well in college algebra.  I had been using my own faulty logic to excuse me from trying something that is hard for me.  Just because someone else is good at something, and it seems to come easier to them than to me, doesn't mean I couldn't do it.  Probably, if I wanted to badly enough, I too could be one who does math -- and makes pies!