My dad was a brilliant civil engineer. My parents later divorced

Hearken, O children of the wandering spirit, and attend to the words of Yasmine Hamdan: “My dad was a brilliant civil engineer. My parents later divorced, but we lived in Abu Dhabi, Greece, Kuwait.” In these words lies a meditation upon genius, impermanence, and the shaping of the soul through movement and experience. From the dawn of human civilization, the house and home have been both sanctuary and stage, and yet life’s currents often carry us across lands and seas, shaping character and perception in ways both subtle and profound. The brilliance of a parent, coupled with the vicissitudes of family life, leaves impressions that echo far beyond the visible walls of any dwelling.

Consider the nature of inherited wisdom. A civil engineer builds bridges, designs roads, and shapes cities, leaving a mark upon the physical world that endures long after his own presence fades. Similarly, the mind and habits of such a parent influence the child, imparting discipline, precision, and vision. Yet Hamdan’s reflection also acknowledges impermanence: the divorce of her parents, the transience of homes and cities, the ephemeral nature of stability. In this tension—between legacy and flux, brilliance and change—one discovers the formative power of experience.

History provides luminous parallels. The young Alexander the Great, though heir to Macedonia’s throne, was shaped by the intellect of Aristotle and the shifting fortunes of his family and kingdom. Travel, mentorship, and the upheavals of circumstance molded him into a man capable of extraordinary vision. Likewise, Hamdan’s childhood across Abu Dhabi, Greece, and Kuwait exposed her to diverse landscapes, cultures, and rhythms, cultivating adaptability, curiosity, and a cosmopolitan awareness. Greatness and wisdom often arise not from static surroundings, but from engagement with the wider, changing world.

Her words also illuminate the resilience born of movement. To live across cities, countries, and continents is to encounter difference, learn new languages, and reconcile one’s own identity within shifting contexts. Abu Dhabi, with its desert sun and rising towers; Greece, with its ancient ruins and philosophical heritage; Kuwait, with its mercantile pulse—all became classrooms, teaching adaptability, perspective, and the courage to navigate uncertainty. Each move, each city, each culture becomes a teacher, shaping the spirit as surely as the parent shapes the mind.

Moreover, Hamdan’s reflection reminds us that family is both foundation and flux. Divorce, though often accompanied by pain, becomes a lesson in impermanence, tolerance, and the redefinition of love and loyalty. The child learns that stability is not merely geographical or marital, but internal—found in principles, observation, and the guidance inherited from those who teach with wisdom, even amid change. In this way, one learns to honor brilliance while navigating the turbulence of human relationships.

From this teaching emerges practical wisdom. Embrace movement, exposure, and the lessons of diverse experience. Recognize the gifts of parents, mentors, and teachers, even when life shifts their proximity or circumstances change. Cultivate adaptability, curiosity, and the courage to thrive amid flux, understanding that each environment, each challenge, and each encounter carries the potential to shape insight, creativity, and resilience.

Let the generations remember this eternal truth: greatness is cultivated in both inheritance and experience. Yasmine Hamdan’s reflection teaches that brilliance, impermanence, and travel are intertwined forces that shape character, perspective, and understanding. To inherit genius is to gain insight; to encounter the world in motion is to transform that insight into wisdom. The cities we inhabit, the challenges we face, and the family ties we navigate all contribute to the architecture of the self.

Therefore, O seeker of understanding, honor the gifts of your parents, yet embrace the lessons of the wider world. Travel with curiosity, observe with care, and allow change to temper your spirit with resilience. In doing so, you will transform the impermanence of circumstance into a wealth of wisdom, and the brilliance of those who guide you into a foundation upon which your own greatness may rise, luminous and enduring.