PERSONAL JOURNEY
How childhood connections shape our individual stories.
Reflecting on the paths my childhood friends and I have taken often fills me with nostalgia and introspection. We started in the same place, a village smack in the City Centre of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, where our biggest concerns were usually about who could run faster or which trees were best for climbing.
Now, each of us has ventured into dramatically different directions in life, shaping unique narratives that are incomparable at their core.
Understanding the Journey
Growing up, I was surrounded by a close-knit group of friends. We shared everything: school days, games, secrets, and dreams. As we grew older, our interests began to diverge, our dreams started to take shape, and slowly, the paths we chose started to reflect our innermost aspirations and talents.
“Hey, Mazlan, I’m going to be a pilot!” I remember Aziz, always adventurous, proclaiming his dream with sparkling eyes.
Sofia, thoughtful and caring, wanted to go into medicine.
I was fascinated by gadgets and circuits, and I spent hours taking apart radios to see if I could put them back together.
Even then, I’d remind myself, “Mazlan, just focus on what you love. Don’t worry about the rest.”
Choosing My Path
“Am I making the right choice?” This question haunted me as I decided to study telecommunications engineering.
Meanwhile, my friends were all dispersing into fields as varied as finance, arts, and sciences. It was the first real taste of how our roads were diverging, a realization that was both exciting and somewhat daunting.
As the years passed, the updates from my friends became less frequent but more profound.
Aziz became a pilot, soaring over continents, while Sofia became Dr. Sofia, who was involved in rural healthcare and dedicated her life to helping underserved communities.
“Should I have followed a more straightforward path?” I occasionally wondered, especially during the challenging early days of my career in IoT, where nothing seemed inevitable.
But then, I’d recall my late father’s advice, “Mazlan, everyone has their way. What matters is that it’s your way.”
Embracing the Differences
Over time, I began to see the beauty in our diverse paths. At reunions or through social media, I saw pictures of Aziz in the cockpit, Sofia at clinics in remote areas, and other friends in their elements.
It was like watching pieces of a puzzle put together to complete the picture.
“Why would I want to be anything else?” I’d muse, realizing that my journey through the world of IoT was precisely where I needed to be.
My ventures and innovations began to gain traction, and as I became more recognized in my field, the initial doubts faded into quiet confidence.
Learning from Each Path
Every update from a friend became a lesson.
Aziz talked about the places he visited, giving me a glimpse into cultures and innovations worldwide, which sometimes sparked ideas for my own work in smart city solutions.
Sofia’s stories of healthcare challenges inspired me to think about how IoT could be used to improve healthcare infrastructures.
“What can I learn from this?” became a common thought as I tried to integrate my friends’ experiences into my worldview and work.
Reflecting on Success
Success, I’ve learned, is deeply personal and cannot be measured by a universal scale. Each friend has faced challenges and celebrated victories that, from the outside, might seem more or less significant, but to them, they were all defining moments.
“Mazlan, remember, it’s not about the destination; it’s about the journey,” I often remind myself, especially when the inevitable comparisons creep up.
Our different stories aren’t just about professional achievements but about the lives we’ve touched, the passions we’ve pursued, and the small moments that have brought joy.
Sharing the Lessons
Now, as I share these reflections in presentations or casual conversations, I emphasize the importance of embracing one’s unique path.
“Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle,” I often say, hoping to inspire others to pursue their passions relentlessly and without fear.
“Everyone has their path, and that’s what makes life so fascinating,” I conclude, feeling grateful for the diverse journeys my friends and I have embarked upon.
These differences have enriched our conversations, broadened our perspectives, and strengthened our bonds.
Reflecting on how far we’ve all come, from those carefree childhood days to where we stand now, shows me just how unpredictable and beautifully unique life can be.
It reinforces my belief that while we may start together, our paths are reflections of ourselves—shaped by our dreams, driven by our passions, and refined by the challenges we face.
Each path, with its twists and turns, is a personal journey worth embracing.
Dr. Mazlan Abbas 