My DC Reflection

I came to DC thinking that the only thing it had over New York was the cherry blossoms and I leave DC now thinking about how important it is to try new things and to throw yourself into the deep end. The best things from life are not always going to jump out at you, rather you have to go looking for them. While hard work does not always get rewarded or even noticed, it is all part of the learning curve. There are days when it seems like working on the Hill means that you are super important compared with everyone else; and days when it seems like no matter what you do, you can never do it all. While I certainly have had my ups and downs working in Congress, it taught me that seeking out what you find interesting combined with tedious tasks is normal to a daily job. Everyone would like to be appreciated a bit more and to help the general public. No matter where you work or what you do, every little bit helps and makes a difference. 

In tough economic times, such as now, it is easy to get depressed and lose hope, but we are lucky, as Americans, to have a leader who believes and has hope that the world can change and that if we all work together, we can make it a better place. I have heard those words many times, but it was not until Inauguration day that I really understood what Barack Obama was saying. He was instilling hope and unity in the American people at a time of crisis and everywhere he goes, Obama is bringing his message of hope to the people. I think back to the famous words of JFK who said "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." What a powerful message. So I hope that people can come to understand how important it is to act as a united people and do something for our country. 

Washington, has been, and will continue to be, a special place for me. With its historic buildings and statues as well as the climate and culture, Washington is not New York or London, but it never asked to be either of those two places. DC has its own unique and international flavor and is a place that I think every 20 or 30 year old interested in government or policy should spend some time in. Get to know this city and throw yourself in to the deep end - just try it!