Traveling to MIT with my son
Some trips stay with you longer than expected.
This one began at an airport gate in Korea.
A Seat He Had Always Imagined
My son had always been curious about first-class seats.
Not because of luxury,
but because they represented something different —
a space he had only seen from afar.
This time, we were sitting there together,
flying from Korea to the United States.
It wasn’t about indulgence.
It was about letting him experience
something he had quietly wondered about for years.
Watching, Not Flying
Once onboard,
I found myself watching him more than the flight.
He explored the seat controls carefully.
He noticed how the space changed.
How design choices translated into comfort.
In that moment,
I realized this experience mattered to him
not as a luxury,
but as a possibility made real.
Somewhere Over the Ocean
Crossing the Pacific together felt different.
We weren’t just traveling across time zones.
We were sharing uninterrupted time —
something increasingly rare.
As an engineer, I often think in systems and efficiency.
As a father, I’m learning the value of simply being present.
Why Boston Mattered
Boston wasn’t just a destination.
For my son,
it was the place where MIT existed —
a name that had lived in his imagination
long before this trip became real.
Walking Through MIT Together
MIT wasn’t dramatic or ceremonial.
It was real.
Students walking between buildings.
Labs quietly operating.
Ideas in motion.
That realism mattered.
Dreams feel different
when they become places you can walk through
instead of names you hear.
An Engineer, A Father
As an engineer,
I believe systems influence outcomes.
As a father,
I’m realizing experiences influence direction.
This trip wasn’t about shaping his future.
It was about showing him
that his curiosity deserved space to grow.
What I Hope He Remembers
One day,
he may forget the flight details,
the seat,
or even the route we took.
But I hope he remembers this:
That his interests mattered.
That his dreams were taken seriously.
That the world is accessible —
one experience at a time.
How I See the World Now
This is how I see the world today.
Not only as structures and systems,
but as moments where
small decisions quietly shape lives.
Sometimes,
a flight is not just about where you’re going.
It’s about who you’re traveling with
— and why.
댓글 남기기