My Year of Hopefulness - More Than We Can Do

"I have always admired the ability to bite off more than one can chew and then chew it."
~ William C. deMille, American screenwriter and film director

Challenge is an important thing in our lives. Without it, we lose a certain zest. We become too complacent. By taking on more than we think we can handle, we rise to greater levels than we ever imaged possible. I highly recommend it.

It's with this thought in mind that today I submitted my application to Columbia's Teachers College. I have applied to their PhD program in Anthropology and Education. I've been thinking about a PhD since graduating from business school. I thought a PhD would be something I'd get to somewhere down the line. I have known for some time that I love teaching, and that a PhD was the best way for me to do that with a great amount of freedom. I just didn't think I had enough to offer students until now. And after my 2009, I realized that we don't always get to decide when "down the line" is. "Down the line" has to be now if we want to do something phenomenal with our lives.

After so many months of standing on the edge, I took the plunge today and threw my hat into the ring to the best darn education PhD program out there. As luck would have it, "out there" is 20 blocks up the street from my apartment (literally!) I went to the orientation and I felt right at home, a similar feeling to the one I had when I went to visit Darden. I knew I belonged there.

There are certain places on the Earth where we feel ourselves fall right into the flow of life. There are times when we know we are on the right track because it all seems to fall in line with an uncanny timing. All of a sudden what seemed to be disparate parts of lives fit together perfectly and a new dream for our life emerges. For me, now is one of those times. Perhaps it's biting off more than I can chew, but then again, I wouldn't want to live my life any other way.