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“Begin with the end in mind.”
I’ve never liked that phrase. Or at least, I’ve always had a sort of bittersweet relationship with it. It’s one I find myself thinking about a lot now that I’ve reached the conclusion of my internship and am thinking about my next step.
It’s meant to be one of those motivational quotes I suppose, like the ones we see tacked on classroom walls on laminated posters with soaring eagles against awe-inspiring landscapes. The ones that tell us a clear focus and direction would bring us to our ultimate desired goal, whatever that may be. The saying certainly has its own merits I think—I’ve always envied people who were so sure of their own desires and passions and took steps to achieving them. I always wish I had the same clarity. For some reason though, I find it hard to accept the statement whole-heartedly. It feels like an affront to process almost—as if the moments between beginning and end were somehow less meaningful than the outcome. As if the outcome itself were not subject to change.
Somewhere in my twisted mind, I always thought it more a farewell. A reminder of the inevitability of endings, and hence the importance of appreciating and treasuring the inbetweens. A reminder to be as compassionate and open as we can with the people around us with whatever time we have with them. As I stand at the precipice of change, at a time where I feel many of us are at too, let us remember to be kind not only to ourselves, but to the people around us too.
I still don’t know what my next step will be, and it will take me a while to figure it out, but thanks for being part of my time here.
May we meet again,
Nat
(From April 4, 2020)
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