Eleven months later.

At my office, I have a plant on my windowsill.

This plant is unnamed. We jokingly refer to it around the office (okay, three of us do) as "Collaboration", because I got it at collaboration-themed luncheon for a different agency.

This plant and I have been through a lot together. I got it at the beginning of the year, maybe 2 months in to my time with PULSE/ELDI. It has been on my windowsill ever since. 

Today at work I was gchatting with Anna (shh...don't tell anyone) and I looked to my left to the plant. She grew! Over the past 9 months, she grew. That ivy is way bigger than it was at the beginning of my journey at ELDI.

Of course, Anna and I were at that exact moment discussing how we can't believe that PULSE is "over". We have lived in our big old home and worked at our placements for 11 months. We were also talking about how much we've grown over the past year.

Way to go, Plant, for being an incredibly tangible metaphor and example of what has happened to me over the past year.

I am really in disbelief that the year is already over. This is such a cliche, but really, it feels like I blinked and the year is gone. Looking back, I can tell that a lot has happened. But in the day to day, the time just goes quicker than I ever imagined.

I'm so thankful for this year. Just the other day, I tweeted that I can't believe that I'm trusted to do my job sometimes. Just because it feels like I'm way unqualified and too young to be doing this for real. If anything, this year has taught me that I am definitely qualified. I can do this whole "I am a grownup and have a real job thing." And it happened while I wasn't even looking.

But instead of having a "real job", I'm going to continue in PULSE. I don't think I've really talked about this here yet, so here it goes: I'm going to keep my position at ELDI and continue to be a part of the PULSE program. In my second year (blazing new trails), I'll be doing lots of informational interviews and I'll lead a couple of seminars. I also get to help with PULSE's social media efforts. 

I truly believe this is what I have been called to do with the next year of my life. Living, working and growing in the East End of Gotham City...I mean, Pittsburgh.

(Because the Bat Signal on Fifth Avenue Place is too cool not to mention in this post. Obviously.)