My sister has become an expert in shoes. My sister has become an expert in medication. My sister has become an expert in skincare.

Jack of all trades and master of all? Well, in those areas, she certainly can call the shots. I’m very sure she would love to be likened to a genius, but well, truth is, she has been bogged down by too many troubles relating to those specific areas that she really has no better way out than to become the expert herself.

Shoes - Kids size shoes are her best friends. Alas, the designs aren’t so befitting for her to match her adult gear. So, she resorts to custom-make her walk wear. An unusually petite size plus sensitive feet means she needs good support and materials that will provide her comfort. She has to forgo lots of wannabes, like a higher heel, flashier designs (remember those avant-garde, unique-as-hell heels that are the rage lately?) as her size doesn’t support the kind of inclination.

Very soon, she picks up the trade on how shoes are made and how the design can be better modified that will bring comfort to the wearer. She knows the reasons why I get blisters, or why I experience pain in certain parts of my soles. She knows how to resolve those problems, because she’s been there, done that.

Medication - Taking a keen interest in medication isn’t something that anyone is into. But because of one incident, from then on, she asked the doctor about each medication that she was prescribed. What are they for? How should they be taken? What side effects will she experience? Along the way, she learnt that certain medicine serves more than one purpose. 

Skincare - My mother and I always tease her that her skin is made of diamond - too precious. Her skin is so sensitive that just one slight dirt/dust wil cause her to have an immediate reaction. Works better than the haze detector, I thought. She should just apply for a job at the National Environmental Agency and be responsible for the haze index to keep our airs clean and fresh. Why waste such a natrual talent, right?

Because of such sensitivity, she runs into many problems. Places that others are ok with don’t accomodate her so easily. Hence, she is my tester when it comes to skincare products. If those cream and serum works well on her skin, then it should bring good to me too.

While she may face more problems than someone who wears a size-5 shoe, has normal skin and isn’t allergic to drugs, she has emerged from these situations that would have put her in a less-advantaged spot. Rather than being caught and become totally handicapped, she decided that she would rise to the occasion and gain control of it.

Hence, she becomes the expert in her own problem areas. Turning the tables around may not be possible if she doesn’t have these complications. Then again, not everyone who are in unpleasant predicaments will spend such an effort to see that they become master of their own lives. More often than not, they will blame, whine and decide that there is nothing that they can do about it.

They fail to see that by giving in and giving up, they have lost wonderful opportunities to see the silving lining on the clouds.

So friends, when you encounter obstacles in your life, that means it is time to ask a lot of questions. Because the more answers you get, the greater discoveries you will have.

I guess that is why when crisis appears, leaders emerge!