Today is the last day. 

Topic I’m currently thinking about: connection, growth, disconnection. 

It’s likely that I will never see some of these interns again, but I’m touched by the accumulated gestures of open kindness that they’ve offered. I’m glad that we’ve become friends. I’m appreciative of the intelligence and dedication they’ve put behind their work; it has pushed me to want to be a better version of myself. If we do meet again in the future, I hope that we feel like strangers in the best possible sense- that we have grown to be more than our selves now (everyone in this program seems to show that great potential). Stephen recently returned the letters that we wrote at the beginning of the program about what we value- maybe as a touchstone to give us grounding after 10 weeks of growing. 

I still don’t know where I’m going, but seeing as my past self made the wonderful decision to attend SPIRE, I think I’ll be able to trust my future self as well. I imagine that the projects and places we occupy in a few years will be astonishing in breadth and depth. I hope we accomplish some cool things. 

Iowa has given me a few warm memories. I’m glad to have met all of you. (And if you end up in the Chicago area, let me know- I’ll let you crash at my place).