“Practice makes perfect”, my father loved to tell us kids when we were growing up.
It is possibly his favorite quote – among others such as “save money for a rainy day” – and somehow, he managed to apply it in so many occasions and memories in my childhood.
I remember that we were learning how to ride our bicycles (after doing the huge transition and ditching our tricycles), and I was tired of falling off the two-wheeled monster and getting scrapes all over my knees. We were probably in our backyard, and even though falling on grass was so much better than falling on harsh concrete, I was still getting fed up.
I wanted to give up. I wanted to throw away the bicycle that suddenly became an instrument of torture. I even made faces and complained to my dad that I was already sick and tired of riding a bike, after just one afternoon of practice.
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So my dad decided to throw in his fabulous all-applicable quote.
“You cannot give up. Practice makes perfect! Keep on practicing!”
I think I threw a fit there and then, but because when you’re about 5 years old, an advice-giving parent like my dad seems more difficult to avoid than a stationary bicycle, I crawled back on my bike, and kept right on practicing. Somehow, sometime that day, or maybe a few afternoons later, I eventually got the hang of riding a bicycle. A miracle. Or maybe, practice really makes perfect.
As with riding our bikes, my dad was also an expert in giving us the same piece of advice when it came to our homework. Especially in math and science, and whenever we scored lousy marks on our tests, we’d get the same three words over and over again – “practice makes perfect!”
When you’re a teenager and practicing math problem sums meant long hours of tedious studying and lesser hours of relaxation, that piece of advice wasn’t the most welcome. Yet, while I didn’t understand why my dad was so insistent on dishing out that same advice for so many aspects of life, I somehow followed it.
What I didn’t know then, but I do know now, is that it was an invaluable three-word line of wisdom. Throughout the many years of sticking to these words, I’ve learned the importance of resilience and persistence. And I also learned that, if you keep doing something over and over again, you’ll eventually get better at it. Yes, even if you weren’t born with any talent in that field, whatsoever.
I like knowing that sheer work and continuous attempts at something that you really want to succeed in will bear its fruits. And in case you didn’t know that yet, I’d like to pass on my dad’s advice – “practice makes perfect!”
That’s probably the reason why I keep on writing, even when I’m exhausted and have muscle aches after a long week of work; or when I’m suffering from writer’s block; or when I’m just not in the mood to write.
I keep on writing because I want to improve, and I’m betting that for each time and every ounce of effort I put into practicing my writing, I’ll get better and better, slowly but surely.
In honor of Father’s Day, I’m dedicating this recipe to my dad. Why ginger shrimp fried rice, you ask? Well, that’s easy. Fried rice is the one dish that I can say I’ve perfected because I’ve made it many times that I can practically cook it with my eyes closed. And I love this ginger shrimp variation that has so much depth and flavor.
So thank you Daddy for your amazing advice, for pushing us to keep on going, for showing us by example that we can’t just give up so easily in the things that we want to achieve.
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY! I LOVE YOU!
GINGER SHRIMP FRIED RICE
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
1) 4 espresso cups of uncooked short-grain sushi rice
2) 1/2 kg of raw peeled shrimp
3) 1 large onion, peeled and diced
4) 2 garlic cloves, minced
5) 1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger
6) 4 eggs, beaten
7) 4 tablespoons of soy sauce
8) Salt to taste
9) 1/2 cup of chopped fresh spring onions + more for garnish
10) 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds for garnish
Steps:
1) Cook rice according to package instructions
2) In a saucepan, cook an omelet with the beaten eggs and a little oil over medium-low heat, and then cut the omelet into very small pieces. Set aside.
3) In the same saucepan, saute the shrimp with a little oil until cooked throughout, flipping to the other side once the bottom is cooked. Set aside.
4) Stir-fry the minced garlic, grated ginger and diced onions in some oil in a wok over medium heat, until onions turn translucent.
5) Add in the cooked rice, and stir well, then pour soy sauce over and stir some more.
6) Add in the cooked eggs, shrimp, and 1/2 cup of chopped spring onions. Mix all together. Add salt to taste.
7) Serve piping hot and garnished with remaining fresh spring onions and sesame seeds.
What a wonderful fried rice! I’d love a bowl for lunch 🙂
Hey Cindy!! Glad you liked it 🙂 Thanks so much for dropping by!
Looks wonderful. My wife would love it.
Thanks Peter! I hope she loves it too!!
Another gorgeous dish Felicia Dear! I so need to try it very soon!
Thank you so much sweet Linda!! 🙂 Fried rice with shrimp and ginger is definitely my favorite Asian dish hands down (and also the first Asian dish I mastered!!)
Love fried rice, yum!!!
Thanks Deb! This is definitely my favorite Asian dish ever!
Dear Felicia
Many thanks for the Father’s Day greeting and tribute.
I am glad that you remember and put out into practice “Practice makes perfect” which is the best ever return one can get from the investment on one’s time.
As mummy has mentioned – garlic fried rice with shrimp is my favourite dish as a base when I go to jap restaurant for meal. I suppose next time I would ask them to have ginger fried rice with shrimp.
I believed all our us in the family learned to cycle through this – perseverance and practice Hence it is not a surprise how those aspiring artistes, hopeful musicians (and writer like you) come about through the principle of “10,000 hours of practice” that make them an expert.
A good verse from bible (source of wisdom) for summing up:
Romans 5.3-4 “we also rejoice in our sufferings (hour of labour), produces perseverance (resilience); perseverance, character, character; and character, hope”
Once again we are proud of you!
Daddy
Daddy, thank you for being such a good example for us – your hard work, peserverance and unconditional love is very important in our lives! Regarding the fried rice, next time ask mummy to cook with grated ginger as well as garlic for you, you’ll love it!! The ginger gives another dimension to the flavor!
Hello Felicia,
You have just sent the most appropriate and beautiful dedication to Daddy 🙂
Fried rice is also Daddy’s favourite dish whenever he wants something quick and satisfying. Another version of his favourite fried rice is Garlic Fried Rice with plenty of garlic.
Thanks a million for continuing to write – for your writing has bless my heart and inspire me on my own journey in life.
With great love and blessings,
Mum
Mummy, THANK YOU for reading! Thanks for being one of the reasons I keep on writing. I believe that even if no one else reads but just a handful of people, that is still reason enough for me to keep on writing! Love you too!!!!
Mmmmm fried rice is one of my favorite meals, and especially shrimp fried rice. What a gorgeous bowl of comfort food and what a lovely post to be dedicated to your Dad! 😀
Jess, I think (more like I know) fried rice is one of my absolute favorite comfort foods in the world!! Hope you’re doing well my dear friend!
I love the recipe (because I’m just really into freid rice). And I love the story even more than that! I totally agree with you. It’s important to know that persistence is one of the most important qualities a person should have. If you are not persistent, you won’t get anywhere. Even if you have a talent for something you have to keep going even if it feels like you’re failing or when you have a rough time continuing. I always look at people that do competitive sports. Today they are successful but it is so much hard work to get where they are now. I think that helps to keep on going, to know that everyone who is successful today started small and had to go through rough times.
Cheers… 🙂
Tina! 100% agree with you! It’s mostly perseverance that takes anyone to success, just keep working at something day after day, and one day you’ll realize that you’re so much better at that skill than when you first started! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, it’s great to see that we both agree! Sending love!