Hi, this week we've been exploring perspectives.
And today I'd like to share part of my math journey
that revealed fresh perspectives at every turn.
I first took calculus one and two as a senior
in high school with Mr. Helvick. It was a blast.
The topic was completely new and I found it fascinating.
Then I took calculus again in college. because
I was not convinced that I understood it well
enough. My professor was Dr. Bruja. He was brilliant,
and honestly, a little intimidating. And just
when I thought I understood a topic, he would
challenge me with a more difficult problem that
forced me to see it differently. Then later,
I tutored students in calculus, and I was excited
to share what I'd learned with others. but explaining
ideas to others revealed details and connections
I had never noticed before. In many ways, I probably
learned more than they did. Okay, after college,
I began taking actuarial exams, and the first
exam covered the same calculus one and two topics.
And once again, I thought I knew the material.
But when I looked at the sample problems, it
felt like a foreign language. How could the same
subject suddenly become so much deeper? And even
over the years, I used calculus and actuarial
work, building financial models and working with
more advanced mathematics. And each new application
revealed another perspective. And then more than
20 years after graduating, I began teaching calculus
concepts to actuarial students. And once again,
my perspective changed. Just like tutoring in
college, teaching has opened my eyes to new ways
of understanding ideas I thought I already knew.
And even as I'm recording this, I look at my
bookshelf and see more than 20 calculus books
I've collected over the years. And most of the
problems from the textbook are still challenging.
Now, the point of this story is not that calculus
is difficult. It is, but that's not the point.
And it's certainly not that I've mastered it.
The point is that the same subject has continued
to reveal new perspectives. And when I first
encountered calculus, I thought I was stepping
into a swimming pool. And over time, I discovered
it was an ocean. And each time I returned to
it, I noticed something I had missed before.
A new connection or a new insight or maybe a
new question. And the deeper I go, the more beauty
I find. It has been a bit like looking at a diamond.
Turn it slightly and the light reflects in an
entirely different way. Now all this reminds
me that the longer we stay with something, the
more there is to discover. So here's a question
for you. Is there a person or an idea or maybe
a passion in your life that deserves a deeper
look. Something that maybe you have only scratched
the surface of. Hope to see you tomorrow.