A Fearless Start

When I first stepped into the world of building engineering, I was fearless. The towering heights, the dizzying perspectives from lift drives, cranes, and swing-stages didn’t faze me one bit. As a fresh graduate eager to make my mark, I reveled in the adrenaline rush that came with inspecting tall buildings.

I remember my early days on the job, climbing onto swing stages without a second thought. The thrill of being up high, looking out over the city, gave me a sense of freedom and invincibility. The world below seemed small, and my dreams felt within reach. I would drive lifts and hop on cranes with the same ease as one might step onto a sidewalk. My colleagues admired my fearlessness, and it became a defining trait of my early career.

Awareness of Dangers

As time passed and I gained more experience, a shift began to occur. My awareness of the inherent dangers grew. I started to understand the fine line between confidence and recklessness. The stories of accidents and close calls that once seemed distant and rare started to feel more personal. The weight of responsibility pressed down on me, and I began to approach my work with a new level of caution.

Then came motherhood, a transformative experience that reshaped my perspective in profound ways. Holding my sons in my arms, I felt an overwhelming sense of love and responsibility. The thought of anything happening to me, leaving my boys without their mother, filled me with a new kind of fear. Suddenly, the heights that once thrilled me became sources of anxiety.

It’s not just about my own life anymore; it’s about the lives of those who depend on me. My husband and our two sons need me to be there for them. They rely on me for their stability and support. This realization has made me more cautious, more aware of the risks I take every day on the job.

Finding the Balance

This journey from fearlessness to a grounded reality has been humbling. It’s taught me the value of safety, the importance of meticulous planning, and the necessity of balancing bravery with wisdom. I’ve learned to respect the dangers of my profession while still embracing the passion that brought me here.

Despite these changes, my love for building engineering has only deepened. I still climb those heights, but now I do so with a renewed sense of purpose and caution. I strive to set an example for my team, showing them that true strength lies in recognizing and respecting the risks we face.

In a way, my journey mirrors the process of building itself. Just as a strong foundation is crucial for a stable structure, a balanced approach to risk is essential for a sustainable career. As I continue to build and rebuild structures, I also continue to build and rebuild my own approach to safety and responsibility.

In the end, it’s about more than just the heights we reach; it’s about the foundations we lay and the lives we support. For me, the heights will always be a part of my journey, but my feet remain firmly planted on the ground, driven by love, responsibility, and a commitment to safety.