Outlook

Today was the last day of my internship at the Authority.

The Authority is a quasi government agency which works with different jurisdictions (cities and counties) to come up with environmentally friendly waste management solutions. I have never known so much about trash, recycling, and public works as I do now. I learned also a bit more about the inner workings of government.

I never thought in a million years I'd end up working somewhere like the Authority.

Three years ago just a week out of high school they hired me as an intern as a part of a program called Youth Works. Youth Works pairs motivated young people with employers who pay them to work in various fields throughout the summer. I was hired to help with communications and public relations. The first summer wasn't all that enjoyable but I did learn a lot. The second summer allowed me to get into a groove and contribute to the agency. This past summer wasn't as productive as I would have liked. In my mind I told myself, maybe I didn't catch a stride because I started a month later than usual. My colleague says its because so much was going on and the boss didn't have time to sit down and do more planning with me. Everyone says however that I did a good job. I guess they mean when I wasn't slacking or perceived to be slacking.

The boss lady took me out to lunch at a chinese restaurant today. At first we were going to Cosi some new chain (a wannabe Panera) which is in our building. Then when they were too crowded we were going to try Cafe Bombay an Indian restaurant. When we saw that they were closed we went to the chinese place. We had sweet and sour soup, steamed shrimp dumplings, and I had shrimp and brocoli. The boss lady had cashews and chicken. All the food was surprisingly delish. I decided to branch out a little and have non-American cuisine, because I promised one of my first bosses I'd do so when I got into college. She told me to do two things:

1) learn to dance

I have yet to master that skill.

2) try different foods

I have done that quite a bit to my mother's surprise.

So my fortune cookie from today reads:

"Your happiness is intertwined with your outlook on life."

Not a day goes by when I probably say to myself consciously or subconsciously that I shouldn't be grateful for who I am, and whose I am.

Far from perfect, I am most certainly a mistake maker.

I know also, that because I have been so highly favored, I can be a way maker.

I was reading earlier about the life of Lauren Crowner a young TV reporter who died much too young. She turned 25 Tuesday and died yesterday as the result of some sort of infection which had affected her brain.

I instantly remembered reading the story of Akilah Amapindi the 23 year old journalist who died from malaria which she contracted while spending time with her father and interning in the country of Namibia.

Then I read an article which highlighted the fact that tomorrow is the five year anniversary of the death of the late Aaliyah.

I think to how these young woman had three things in common:

1) as their family and friends would tell it amazingly geniune and giving spirits

2) physical beauty

and

3) an abiding faith that their calling (journalism in two cases, and music in the other), that that calling which was also their passion, that which gave them purpose might better the lives of others.

I think to how they didn't get a time to finish their life's plan.

And I think to myself how I must endeavor to take the limits off, the self-imposed limits, the limits created by man.

Nikki Giovanni said the other night something to the effect that,

"If you wait until you are wanted, then you will never accomplish anything."

The want has to be personal before it can be prophetic I guess.