Our daughter's little science hobby. Mom explained to the anniversary guests, nothing

Our daughter's little science hobby. Mom explained to the anniversary guests, nothing serious, just playing in labs. My phone rang with an international number, Dr. Foster, congratulations on your Nobel Prize in chemistry. I put it on speaker and the Lancaster Country Club's dining room sparkled with crystal and silver as my parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary surrounded by 200 of their closest friends, business associates, and extended family.
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 Mom had spent months planning this event, insisting on the most elegant venue, the finest catering and formal invitations printed on heavy card stock that probably cost more per sheath than most people spend on lunch. I sat at Table seven strategically positioned near the back where I could observe without drawing too much attention to myself.

My simple Navy dress and minimal jewelry marked me as distinctly underdressed compared to the other guests who seemed to be competing for who could wear the most expensive designer outfit to honor Gerald and Patricia foster's four decades of marriage. Ladies and gentlemen, dad's voice boomed through the microphone as he prepared to give his anniversary speech.

The conversations gradually died down as attention focused on the distinguished couple at the head table. Patricia and I are overwhelmed by your presence here tonight. I'd heard versions of the speech before at various family gatherings, so I knew the general outline. Dad would thank everyone for coming, recount some amusing anecdotes from their early marriage, and eventually work his way around to discussing their children's accomplishments.

A topic that never failed to make me uncomfortable. We've been blessed with two wonderful children. Dad continued gesturing toward my brother Marcus at table two. Our son Marcus, has built a thriving dental practice and given us three beautiful grandchildren. Marcus beamed and raised his wine glass toward the crowd at 35.

He was everything my parents had hoped for in his son. Professionally, successful, financially stable. Married to a lovely woman from a good family, and living in the right kind of suburban house with the right kind of mortgage and our daughter. Dad paused his eyes scanning the room until they found me.
 Well, our daughter is still finding her way. The familiar knot formed in my stomach. I'd been still finding my way according to my parents for the past 12 years, ever since I graduated from Princeton with a PhD in chemistry at age 24 and declined to pursue what they considered a proper career path. Dr.

Sarah Foster has always been our little scientist. Mom chimed in from beside him, taking the microphone with practiced ease. Even as a child, she was mixing chemicals in the basement. Much to our horror, polite laughter rippled through the crowd. I managed a weak smile while internally cringing at the way she made my childhood fascination with chemistry sound like an amusing phase rather than the foundation of a serious scientific career.

She still playing around in laboratories. Mom continued with that indulgent tone she used when discussing my life choices. Our daughter's little science hobby, nothing too serious. Just playing in labs here and there. The casual dismissal hit me like a physical blow. 12 years of groundbreaking research, revolutionary discoveries that were reshaping our understanding of molecular chemistry and dozens of peer reviewed publications reduced to playing around in laboratories.

My life's work characterized as a hobby, like collecting stamps or gardening on weekends. What made it worse was that mom genuinely believed she was being supportive. In her worldview, acknowledging that I had a PhD made her a progressive parent, even if she couldn't quite grasp what I actually did with that education, we keep hoping she'll settle down and find something more stable.

Dad added with a chuckle. Maybe teach high school chemistry or work for a pharmaceutical company, something with regular hours and good benefits. The suggestion that I should teach high school chemistry, not that there's anything wrong with teaching revealed how completely they misunderstood the scope and significance of my work.

I wasn't someone who needed to find a job. I was someone who had dedicated my life to pushing the boundaries of human knowledge in ways that could potentially transform medicine, energy and material science. But explaining quantum chemistry and molecular engineering to parents who thought playing in labs was an adequate description of research, science had proven impossible.

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