It’s been a week of firsts for me. I’m writing this post from the comfort of my grandparents’ home in Florida. It’s the first time I’ve visited them since they moved down here many years ago. After finally working up the motivation to pay them a visit, to get myself down here, I took my first flight on an airplane!
I wasn’t sure how I’d feel when I finally took my first flight. Despite delays in taking off, the security theater of the TSA, and the trial of sitting in front of loud children, I absolutely loved the experience.
I starred out the window admiring the sky for about an hour before I felt the need to even think about doing anything else. During that hour, I would not stop smiling and laughing. After years of relegating myself to the Northeast, I finally gave myself permission to go on a vacation, and it started with an experience I couldn’t have imagined.
My description may sound ridiculous to veteran fliers. One day, I may take the rush of a takeoff, the subsequent arial sightseeing, and the warmth of the sun on my face for granted. That day isn’t today, and while I’m still excited about it, I’m capturing that joy. Perhaps years from now, this post will help me remember the novelty of what then seems mundane.
As I work hard to become skilled and savvy enough to permanently break out of the Northeast, I’m going to be able to do all sorts of things I wasn’t able to do as a child. This summer, I’m proud to say I’ll be interning at Apple in Cupertino, California — a longtime dream of mine. In conjunction with the daily excitement of running a successful business, I’m never bored and always reaching new heights.
Recently, in describing these circumstances to a friend I hadn’t seen in years, I got excited and let this slip:
Honestly, I couldn’t be any happier.
In the week and a half since I said that, I’ve been desperately searching for grounds to retract that statement. If I’m going to drop words like those, I really have to mean them.
Despite my best efforts, my search turned up empty. I’m in a great place right now, and I’d like to thank you for your help getting here.