Questioning My Traits

I would like to question some of my traits. I am aware that I got most of my physical traits from my parents. People say that I look like my mom, got my eyebrows my dad and height from both parents. Nonetheless, there are certain traits of which I cannot trace their existence to.

Why do I have bad vision? My parents never had myopia, or nearsightedness, but they do have reading glasses, as a product of old age I assume. I begin to notice my vision blurring between third and fourth grade. As a result, I was the owner of a new pair of glasses in the beginning of fourth grade. I would consider my vision horrible right now; I cannot see with either glasses or contacts. Did the environment and my surroundings contribute to my poor vision?

Why do I have crooked teeth? My parents have teeth that are not perfectly straight but straight enough in order to not need any orthodontic aid. My brother’s teeth are fine as well. I had to get braces. Why me?

Where did I get my work ethic? I seem to spend a lot more time on studying and doing homework than both my brother and my parents. I try hard on everything that I do, especially in school. My parents are not the best at speaking English, and this led them to receive a mediocre education. However, my brother, born in the United States with good English skills, spends less time on homework and receives superior grades. I have heard that some people are slower than others. Does this characteristic come from the influences of others?

Why do I not enjoy the smell and taste of durian? If you do not know what durian is, it is an odiferous yellow fruit with a hard, prickly shell. This fruit is enjoyed in several parts of Southeast Asia, and both of my parents are fond of the fruit. On the other hand, both my brother and I do not find this fruit appealing. Taste is a product of our genes and environment. Our food preferences are determined by multiple factors, including genes, experience and age. Genes play a part by giving a person a predetermined taste preference, and our environment is a factor in learning new tastes. In looking at my example of durian, genes seem to play a small role. Speaking of taste, there is a fifth taste called umami, which is the taste of MSG (monosodium glutamate). Both of my parents claim to taste MSG, but I cannot distinguish it from other “good” tastes. In looking at my experiences, genes play a minimal role in taste detection.

These are only a few of the qualities that I notice to be not parallel with my genetics. Hmmm…that gives me something to think about…