That morning, the sun had just risen in the eastern sky. The air was still fresh, dew clung to the leaves, and birds chirped merrily. Ara sat on the porch, gazing out at the horizon. A sketchbook lay open on her lap, filled with sketches of buildings that had been filling her mind for years.
This year, Ara already had a big dream—I wanted to be an architect who could build beautiful cities with designs that were not only functional but also aesthetic.
Since childhood, Ara had been drawn to magnificent and artistic buildings. She remembered being captivated by the sight of skyscrapers for the first time when her family was on vacation in a big city. She was only 10 years old, but even then, she knew she wanted to be among the people who built such wonders. "One day, I too will build buildings like this," she resolved to herself.
However, destiny wasn't something that just happened. Ara understood that to achieve her dreams, she would have to work hard. As a vocational high school student majoring in architecture, every day was a challenge. She had to learn things she had never imagined before—from drawing techniques to complex mathematics to structural calculations.
There were times when Ara felt exhausted and frustrated. Assignments piled up, projects had to be completed on time, and exams seemed to come in waves. Her friends also often made comments that questioned her decision. "Why do you want to be an architect? It's hard to find work in that field," one of them said one day.
Ara simply smiled at the comment, though deep down, a pang of doubt lingered. She wondered if this was really the right path for her. "What if I fail? What if I can't achieve my dream?" she thought over and over again.
Every time those feelings came, Ara always remembered her father's words. His father, a hard worker who never gave up, often advised her, "Remember, Ara, your future is in your hands. Not in the hands of others, not in the hands of fate. You alone determine where your life will take you."
That advice became Ara's guiding principle. Whenever she felt doubt, whenever the world felt overwhelming, she always returned to the belief that as long as she tried her best, she could determine her own future.
With that conviction, Ara studied even harder. She knew the world of architecture wasn't easy, but she also believed that no dream was impossible as long as there was hard work behind it.
