A secret goal I have always harbored, but have also known would not happen is making someone's Top 40 under 40 list. I know this isn't going to happen because in exactly a month I will turn 40 and I am pretty sure I am not on anyone's radar. I am remarkably OK with letting this aspiration go.
I had been thinking about my blog for today for a week or so... the countdown to 40 and I knew I wanted to write about this desire to be recognized. Maybe it is part of my complex from attending Queen's that I had to somehow "make it" to be known for my excellence. Or maybe it is just the desire to be accepted by my peers as competent.
We do a great deal of work on goal setting as part of the Defence Leadership Curriculum but not making my goal has helped me to realize sometimes the best thing that can happen is not to reach your goal. Since the universe (or God if you are in Grenada) always provides you with the lesson you need to learn, when you need to learn it, I was given the gift of making the top ten today.
I have been really struggling with how to best assist PAM (Program for Adolescent Mother's), and today I ended up working with about 7 of the amazing young women attending this program. We had a frank discussion about a topic of concern and I came away knowing that I was definitely in their top 10 of people they felt they could trust and relate to. Later I had a similar discussion with another person at PAM and again came away feeling like I had really made a difference.
I realized that making the top ten of a pregnant teenager's list is way more meaningful than making the top 40 in Maclean's, the public service or my alma matter. I wanted this trip to be a learning journey and I am learning so much about what is important and what is just stuff.
No comments:
Post a Comment