The document discusses the author's observation of their mother, a speech pathologist, and her work. As an 8 year old, the author did a science fair project on vocal cords where they watched videos with their mom showing vocal cord activation during speech. Their mom taught them about her work helping people with speech and language impairments. The author became interested in the way vocal cords work and how they enable communication. They learned about their mom's career and the importance of speech pathology in helping those with disabilities.