Bending and Not Breaking

A particular article on Forbes.com struck a deep chord with me. It was posted yesterday morning under the tech section. It is an article about Ping Fu, a Chinese woman about my dad's age who even after a decade of torture, degradation and "re-education" is at the forefront of the 3D printing revolution. Many of you have probably heard or come across 3D printing solutions; well this woman headed Geomagic, a company that was recently acquired by 3D Systems. She's a big deal in the entrepreneurship world, but still remains extremely humble. Her new book called Bend Not Break was on Tina Brown's must reads list on NPR. After reading this article and watching her interviews I cannot wait to start her book.


She grew up during the Cultural Revolution in China under Mao's regime. This is a period of time historically that I've been interested in since I can remember. My dad grew up during the same time in Shanghai and like Ping Fu shared similar experiences. My dad's journey in Shanghai to starting a new life in America and his hunger to always learn more informs the person I am today. Being able to endure the darkest of times in China and still come up top on the other side is something I've always looked up to. It's inspirational to hear Ping Fu put so much emphasis on love and compassion, even though she's endured so much hate and violence.

I wanted to share this article because not only is now a fascinating time in the 3D revolution, but it's important to keep our spirits up even at the lowest of lows because like Ping Fu emphasizes: life is like a mountain range, even when you've reached the top of one peak you'll need to come down before you can enjoy a different view from the top of a different mountain. I know I'd like to climb a few different mountains in my career and my life at large.