That is, until I turn and look backward down the road over which I have come. I notice that it's actually much longer than I recalled. There are more rough patches and twists than I remembered. I had forgotten that I had to climb mountains and cross valleys. This makes me think back to where I was when I started that journey — it was a long, long way from here.

Next I think about who I was when I set out — so young and inexperienced. Suddenly the road seems much more daunting, and the outcome anything but inevitable.

How Did I Get Here?

I realize that I am where I am today because of the roads that I chose and the people I met along the way; it is the result of thousands of small decisions and a handful of large ones. There were many years, much work, a lot of fun, a great deal of confusion, perpetual uncertainty, and continuous luck. It could have easily turned out very differently.