In the Presence of Greatness!

While in our nation's capitol, greatness has surrounded my every move.  A couple of days ago, I was given the opportunity to sit inside Senator Obama's office in the Capitol Building and it was breathtaking to say the least. I was surrounded by his family photos, photos of Senator Obama and other monumental persons, such as Nelson Mandela, and artwork that illustrated his personality and values. A person's personal space encompasses elements of their family life, and interests--you really get a peak into the human element of a person that many admire and even idolize. How did Senator Obama achieve the heights of greatness? How does it feel to be in his shoes?

Being in the presence of greatness forces one to think of how surprising life consistently proves itself to be. Every single day, people like you and me are faced with opportunities of a lifetime. We can either choose to take advantage of those opportunities or we can be hesitant and purposely or mistakenly remove ourselves from the spotlight. It's more than okay to shine. As women, and as people, we should support each other and motivate each other to do more than we would push ourselves to accomplish.

Senator Obama did not become the Democratic Presidential Nominee on his own--people supported him and pushed him along the way. We need to learn to support and push our peers to be excellent in all that they do. Let go of your personal pride and stop sipping that Haterade. When another woman shines you should cheer because we are in this together. If another brother or sister graduates or is faced with the opportunity of an excellent position with a company out of this world, we should be their cheerleaders. You never know---we could be grooming the next community lawyer, doctor, educator, researcher, designer, or even the next president of the United States. 

"Plan B"

Back in the day, if one of my friends mentioned subscribing to "Plan B," I would've swore up and down that they just left Planned Parenthood and had to take the pill because they failed to take the necessary precautions the first time around. "Plan B" was always described as something scary--why couldn't you get it right the first time? Why didn't you prepare and plan for Plan A to be successful?

As we get older and wiser, for most of us, having a "Plan B" is a necessity in life and a key to success. With the recent recession and America's economic troubles, anyone without a "Plan B" is more than likely doomed. Many of us go through life determined to achieve our goals and be successful in everything that we do. We graduate college, move on to the next hurdle, whether that be graduate school, applying for graduate school, starting a new "glamorous" job, or searching for the glamour, or just plain dead-ended. Sometimes, after Plan A doesn't work out, then it's time to embark on "Plan B," or define what that next plan will be.

Although "Plan B" can still be a scary thing, it's better to have multiple plans than none at all. The unknown is always difficult for us to accept because it's unmarked territory. Ask yourself, "What are my plans?" "What are all the ways I can get from point A to point B?" Don't be afraid to ask others who are in your point B currently, "How did you get there?" Take risks, do what's best for you, and never stop planning. Remember, everything happens for a reason. Someone once told me, luck is where opportunity meets preparation. How prepared are you to meet opportunity?