Hubs and I just got back from an amazing week in our nation's capital going to visit a very dear friend of mine graduate with her masters in international relations from Johns Hopkins. It was a fantastic week filled with friends, wonderful sights, and some fantastic food and bars! It was also --surprisingly-- a week of reflection. Between the astounding collections at the Smithsonian museums, the majestic national monuments, stately federal buildings, and the Johns Hopkins commencement ceremony, I was left reflecting on how I'll make a mark on the world. I read a quote somewhere that well behaved women rarely make history. This thought keeps running through my mind as I watched my friend acomplish something extraordinary. This is a troubling quote because I generally like to play safe. My father-in-law made a comment this winter while we were skiing (an outdoor activity that generally terrifies me) that "unless you're scared and falling down every once in a while you're not pushing yourself hard enough." Aargh! None of these thoughts are comforting to my sense of self-preservation, but they do inspire me to take a step into the unknown and to continue to push myself towards exellence.
Physically, I'm exhausted. (DC requires comfy shoes, a water bottle, and not a few packed Luna bars.) Intellectually and spiritually I'm inspired and refreshed. This was a fantastic week and I wouldn't give it back for anything.
