First They’ll Say No

📸 : Harry P. Leu Gardens, 2022

Marie Curie — the godmother of radioactivity, the pioneer of women in science, and the first (and still the only) person to hold two Nobel Prizes in different sciences — was not initially allowed to study science. In Poland, where women were not permitted to pursue higher education, Curie was forced to enroll in an underground college in Warsaw called “the Flying University”. Originally founded to educate women, the university became a safe haven for Poles living oppressive Russian rule to study Polish history and culture. 

A few years after completing her education and saving up money by working as a governess, Curie moved to France, where she was able to earn degrees in physics and mathematics at the Sorbonne. But even after she married and discovered radium (the element that remains the basis for modern cancer treatments), the Nobel committee still tried to exclude Curie from being considered for the prize, at the nominating only her two male colleagues. When her husband, Pierre, demanded Marie be included for her equal contribution, Curie became the first woman ever to become a Nobel laureate. 

After Pierre died, Marie continued to study, and she received another Nobel Prize, this time in chemistry. She was the first female professor at the Sorbonne and the first woman to be enshrined on her own merits in the Panthéon of Paris. She was irrefutably one of the smartest and most consequential women who has ever lived. But at first, they said no. 

“You will hear a lot of nos throughout your life”. 

These will come from people who don’t understand your drive, believe in your mission, or stand by your right to pursue your dreams. 

They will tell you, like they did Marie Curie, that there is no place for your aspirations. Pay them no mind. First, they’ll say no, but soon enough, they’ll be at your door, clamoring for your contribution. 

While doing my Europe trip this year, I have seen so many beautiful architectural styles in every different country. I love the fact that, in architecture, arches are one of the strongest shapes. Bridges, cathedrals, castles, aqueducts, domes-arches are everywhere. 

I love this fact because it proves you don’t have to be hard and pointy to be resilient, strong and beautiful. 

You can stand in your own strength and withstand whatever forces might come toward you. 

Love, 

Ms. Elista