Opportunity

I was having dinner with the Physicist last night...she's the one with the fabulous Hill House that I've been known to housesit at.

During dinner, she was talking about the different ways that she has felt constrained in her profession over the years - being one of the few women at her level in her field...she feels like she either did not take (at times) or was not given (at times) the freedom to pursue her interests in as creative a fashion as she now wishes she had done.

I, at first, missed the point of what she was trying to say because her context is so far beyond mine.* But, once I got it, it made me think about the ways in which I am privileged and joyful about being able to have my private practice. I have been so worried recently that I would fail at it that I had almost forgotten how exciting and fun and creative it can be. It gives me more energy to be able to think about the group I'm working with now, and what I bring to it and what I can learn from it.

On the subject of the group, I recruited a 5th person last night. So, it feels pretty solid now...that also helps me feel less anxious.

*The Physicist started her conversation by mentioning her colleague that just won the Nobel Prize for Physics and how it is that every year at this time she faces the fact that she hasn't won it...so I was reeling for a few minutes that this friend is actually among those few in the world who naturally view themselves as candidates for the Nobel Prize. It's a little bit of a shock to take in.