I'm drinking my coffee with a smile on my face this morning, thinking about last night.
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No, I wasn't up late with the hubby. :-) I was working.
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When I was a young, idealistic college student studying political science, my goal was to join the Foreign Service and make a difference in the world. I envisioned myself posted in Paris, London, Bangkok. ....But as is often the case, life "happened" and I modified my course. I gladly made compromises to accomodate my family. Yet while I was willing to be flexible on the specifics, I tried to remain true to my big picture intention. In the process, I accidentally stumbled into work I never would have considered, but discovered I enjoyed. Like the work I'm doing now.
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Sometimes along the way of making a living, we begin to doubt our chosen path, or we choose to put ourselves into jobs or relationships that simply aren't "us". I see it in my friends and neighbors... Smart, good people who, for a variety of reasons, aren't working their true intentions. For some, bad luck has left them no choice but to do what it takes to provide for their families. God bless them for getting up each day and slogging through the grind. For others, it was the belief that more money or status in another field would bring them happiness...only to discover they are financially rich yet personally unfulfilled. They've ignored their true compass.
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After 20 years of seeking, and questioning my course as much as the next guy...I am stumbling toward age 40 with the reaffirmation that the work and subjects that jazzed me as a college kid still ring my bell today. It's who I am. I cannot deny it.
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Which brings me to last night. I was out late facilitating an environmental public meeting on the other side of town. The project centers around the cleanup of some environmental contamination that occured back in the 1950s/60s... the result of common industrial practices at the time, back before the nation instituted environmental laws governing the handling of hazardous substances.
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We're lucky that at this site, the contamination is limited and largely contained, with no known pathways to humans or animals. Nonetheless, the client is putting millions of dollars and literally decades of time into cleaning it up. It's not only the law, but the right thing to do. We work closely with state and federal environmental regulators, who provide oversight of the project. My role as a consultant is to facilitate an open and responsive flow of information between my client and the public, local governments and other stakeholders.
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No, I wasn't up late with the hubby. :-) I was working.
-
When I was a young, idealistic college student studying political science, my goal was to join the Foreign Service and make a difference in the world. I envisioned myself posted in Paris, London, Bangkok. ....But as is often the case, life "happened" and I modified my course. I gladly made compromises to accomodate my family. Yet while I was willing to be flexible on the specifics, I tried to remain true to my big picture intention. In the process, I accidentally stumbled into work I never would have considered, but discovered I enjoyed. Like the work I'm doing now.
-
Sometimes along the way of making a living, we begin to doubt our chosen path, or we choose to put ourselves into jobs or relationships that simply aren't "us". I see it in my friends and neighbors... Smart, good people who, for a variety of reasons, aren't working their true intentions. For some, bad luck has left them no choice but to do what it takes to provide for their families. God bless them for getting up each day and slogging through the grind. For others, it was the belief that more money or status in another field would bring them happiness...only to discover they are financially rich yet personally unfulfilled. They've ignored their true compass.
-
After 20 years of seeking, and questioning my course as much as the next guy...I am stumbling toward age 40 with the reaffirmation that the work and subjects that jazzed me as a college kid still ring my bell today. It's who I am. I cannot deny it.
-
Which brings me to last night. I was out late facilitating an environmental public meeting on the other side of town. The project centers around the cleanup of some environmental contamination that occured back in the 1950s/60s... the result of common industrial practices at the time, back before the nation instituted environmental laws governing the handling of hazardous substances.
-
We're lucky that at this site, the contamination is limited and largely contained, with no known pathways to humans or animals. Nonetheless, the client is putting millions of dollars and literally decades of time into cleaning it up. It's not only the law, but the right thing to do. We work closely with state and federal environmental regulators, who provide oversight of the project. My role as a consultant is to facilitate an open and responsive flow of information between my client and the public, local governments and other stakeholders.
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Environmental remediation does not yield instant gratification. But we are beginning a new, exciting phase of the project, including the use of some promising new technology that is absolutely fascinating.
Environmental remediation does not yield instant gratification. But we are beginning a new, exciting phase of the project, including the use of some promising new technology that is absolutely fascinating.
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Perhaps I was in a sentimental mood last night, or it was just getting late, but as the geologist talked about soil gas borings, I looked around the room and was struck with the realization that I am happy and loving what I do. Not in an exotic foreign posting, but right in my own backyard.
Perhaps I was in a sentimental mood last night, or it was just getting late, but as the geologist talked about soil gas borings, I looked around the room and was struck with the realization that I am happy and loving what I do. Not in an exotic foreign posting, but right in my own backyard.
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All the players were in the room: My client, who works hard to ensure the project is handled responsibly; environmental regulators, geologists and engineers who have dedicated their professional lives to protecting our national resources for future generations; dedicated local citizens who volunteer their time without pay to serve their community; local government and economic development reps who receive little thanks for their critical leadership.
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Yes, I realized, this is grassroots democracy in action! A case study jumping directly out of the pages of a poli sci textbook. Not that it's Shangri-La. There are frustrations. Stumbling blocks. Bureaucratic red-tape bullshit. Personalities. You know the drill. But we work through it. More than some politician spewing "green" talk on CNN, these are the people that are making it happen in this great country of ours. It feels darn good to be a part of it.
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Last night on the drive home, I asked myself, "How'd I get so lucky to get to do this for a living?" Back in college, this work would certainly have not been part of my plan. But I realized, it is a manifestation of that very same life intention. Life is good!
Yes, I realized, this is grassroots democracy in action! A case study jumping directly out of the pages of a poli sci textbook. Not that it's Shangri-La. There are frustrations. Stumbling blocks. Bureaucratic red-tape bullshit. Personalities. You know the drill. But we work through it. More than some politician spewing "green" talk on CNN, these are the people that are making it happen in this great country of ours. It feels darn good to be a part of it.
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Last night on the drive home, I asked myself, "How'd I get so lucky to get to do this for a living?" Back in college, this work would certainly have not been part of my plan. But I realized, it is a manifestation of that very same life intention. Life is good!
