It's just the place where you stop the story."
-Frank HerbertI have many stories that are ending. I finished my final project for graduate school and am just waiting on a grade. Currently, I have a 100% in my last class though, so I am not worried. I also have received an offer for a PMF position in Baltimore, which I hope to start in June. With this ends my time, not just at my current position, but at the State level of government as well.
However, in addition to endings, there are new beginnings. The program I just completed has opened up a world of possibilities for me, and I appreciate the opportunity I had in being accepted into the program as well as the success I found in completing it. While I have a tentative offer that I hope will become final once I can prove I completed the master's program, I have kept my options open and have found interest throughout many different arenas. I was actually offered two PMF positions; however, by the time the second offer came through, I was already pretty set on the first and I turned down the second. I also have interviewed for state positions, one of which is making the choice to move on to the federal government more difficult than I expected. Short term, the state position would give me many benefits, but long term, I know the PMF program is more beneficial for my future.
Regardless of my future path, it is wonderful to know that I have these options, that I have a bright future ahead of me, no matter what I choose. In the past, when I've had to choose between career paths, they haven't always been the happiest of choices, and sometimes I feel like I've chosen based on the devil I know, rather than the devil I don't. I don't feel that way now. Instead, I feel like no matter what path I choose, I'll be happy, successful, and fulfilled.
Recently, I've attended a few events at my university to celebrate the end of the program and my accomplishments. First, there was a PMF reception, where I met the president of my college who used to be the secretary of the agency that oversees the program I will be joining as a PMF. Then, there was an event inducting new honorees into an honor society; a society which I had actually made a personal goal to join when I first found out about it. I noticed students last year at graduation were wearing medallions or stoles and I was curious as to why. When I discovered the honor society and the criteria for being inducted, I made it my mission to earn a spot!
Through all of this, my husband and my daughter have been so amazingly supportive and I know I could not have gotten so far without them. They both attended the honor society induction ceremony with me, and it meant so much to share that with them. We were also able to meet with the director of my program, and I found it amusing that my husband spent more time talking to her than I did, though he later confided that he knew my introverted self would be totally overwhelmed by the conversation!
I am excited for one ending in particular, our graduation, where I will finally meet many of my fellow graduates face-to-face for the first time. I was able to meet a couple of them at the honor society event, but I'm looking forward to meeting many more graduation weekend! Hopefully the friendships we have formed through this program will continue as I would hate to see those end with the end of our program.
Finally, I feel like I'm closing a chapter on a part of myself. I've been working in the legal field for my entire adult life in some capacity and none of the positions I've been offered are really related to that field. It's weird to know that I'm not going to be a paralegal anymore; however, I think I'm happy to move beyond that title. Growing and gaining new skills are important for career development and I think remaining tied to that skill set in my current position through a hybrid of skills is in many ways holding me back from growing and developing the way I want to. I will take what I learned with me, and I am sure I will never fully move away from the field as legislation and regulation dictate the work of government. However, I am looking forward to seeing what other public service I can provide throughout the rest of my career!
"A sunset is nothing more and nothing less than the backside of a sunrise."
-Craig D. Lounsbrough
