Father and me

My father was a mathematics professor at a university.  I was a programmer in software engineering.  Both my father and I graduated from science schools.  My father majored in mathematics and I majored in computer science.

I used to envy my father.  I thought he made a very good choice, selecting mathematics as his professional field.  Mathematics is something always true and does not change much.  I complained to my father, "Everything you learned in school about mathematics is still useful even after you have been working as a professor for 30 years.  Everything I learned in school about computers has already changed, and keeps changing every day.  I feel so tired of keeping up with the newest technology.

My father smiled as usual and said, "Well, I do not understand such computer stuff at all.  However, I am proud of my daughter working in the most challenging field nowadays, and I believe you are the best of all."

It occurred to me then that my father's greatest skill is as a teacher, not as a mathematician.  He certainly knows how to make an upset student feel comfortable and confident.