Complementing each other - for 50 years

I grew up in a small town in the southernmost state of India, Kerala, with my parents and two sisters. Known for its natural beauty, literacy rates and cultural heritage, Kerala has profoundly shaped how I think, care, and behave. Growing up, I wanted to become a loving and capable lady like my Mom and hoped to have a caring and knowledgeable life partner like my Dad (which I am fortunate about). This November, my parents celebrated 50 years of marriage—a milestone that has left me reflecting on their enduring influence in shaping the person I am today.?

Here’s to celebrating their love, and the timeless values they instilled in us:

Embrace your strengths and lean-in: Each person is unique and has their own strengths. My Mom is a great cook, while my Dad loves to taste food. My Dad loved helping us solve math problems, while Mom kept us on track with studies. While the principle of “equality in sharing household chores” was not prevalent back then in their generation, they both found a "compatible" way to focus on their strengths for the family. They both openly asked each other for help and were willing to lean in for the family's overall well-being. This helped them navigate the ambiguities in their life together, with an optimistic outlook. As I work with my clients, enabling their journey with cloud, data and AI, I often remind myself of the power of effective partnerships.?

Relentless curiosity: Back in the days, when information was not at your fingertips, my mom used to take us to the library in her college, where she used to teach. Even though it felt overwhelming at times, curiosity got ingrained in our minds early on. My dad constantly encouraged us to build on our science project ideas. This relentless curiosity is what motivates me today on a tough day at work!?

People Matter: My parents strongly believed in human connections. We had lots of friends and families around us growing up. I learn from each and every person I meet, and I firmly believe that each individual is a treasure filled with unique experiences, often untold. My parents believed that humans have a way to resolve conflicts (questionable? Yeah, I know!). Life happens, and not all days are peaceful. However, emotions are to be shared and addressed mutually.?This has helped me bring in a positive outlook in tough conversations.

Speak for yourself: My parents always gave us the freedom and space to think and speak on our feet. While they shared their feelings openly, they wanted us to be capable and courageous to speak for ourselves with rational justifications and mutual respect. Though they appreciated the feminine way of dealing with personal things, they always wanted us to be capable professionals and never wanted us to think differently regarding professional responsibilities. This continues to give me the strength to think on my feet at work and not fall into any stereotypical traps.

What are some of the values from your parents that make you who you are?

Curiosity Alert #1: Thanks to my forever-curious and supportive husband, Sajeev Nair, here is a link where you can listen to the AI-generated deep dive of this article, if you prefer listening to reading - https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/5b940d83-630c-4e83-a39a-6541c809f49a/audio

Curiosity Alert #2: Following their footsteps of relentless curiosity, here is bringing their old pictures to life (Source: MyHeritage).?

Cheers to AI!