Nature & Nurture

 Reflecting across three generations of women in my family, I’ve learned that both nature and nurture are powerful influences; neither can be ignored. Some traits, like anxiety and constant worrying, may be inherited. Others, like how I handle emotions, show affection, and chase goals, have been shaped by the environment I was raised in. Scientific research supports what I’ve observed in my own life: that genes lay the groundwork, but it’s our experiences and the people around us who fill in the details. Epigenetics shows us that early life experiences can actually influence how genes are expressed, often through parenting behavior. As Michael J. Meaney (2010) explains, “variations in maternal care... structurally alter DNA,” revealing how the environment can biologically shape outcomes across a person’s life. In other words, nurture can physically affect nature. Supporting this further, Plomin and Asbury (2005) argue that “the appropriate conjunction between the words nature and nurture is not versus but and,” since both influence one’s development in a deeply interconnected way. Who I am today is not just the result of biology or upbringing alone but the harmony between both. Nature sets the foundation, but nurture builds the home. In my home, there's been a great deal of growth and resilience, showing that when these two forces come together, they can create a new and more hopeful path for the next generation.