I've recently come to realize two things. Well, four things if you count finding out that the USPS has their own marked tow trucks, and experiencing that you can indeed break specific previously-thought-unbreakable bowls in our kitchen. Oops.
The two significant things I've realized are that 1) I have a tendency to find myself surrounded by geniuses, and 2) I've never felt like I've actually known a person without first knowing their stories. I was going to explain both points, but after seeing the length of my entry, I'm only going to talk about the former. I'll save the latter for perhaps another day.
This first realization comes after meeting someone new. He finished high school in two years, went on to tackle one of the most work-intensive majors at the university, and is now attending med school. His brother graduated as an astrophysicist and went on to finish law school, also skipping several years of education. This made me think about the several 20-year olds in grad programs that I'm friends with, the insanely brainy computer and social visionaries I call confidants, and the plethora of others who--though they do not wish to jump through academic hoops--have IQs that are certainly over 120.
And it makes me smile. How did I get so lucky to somehow surround myself with such intelligent people? And they're not just intelligent; in most cases they're additionally charismatic, of sound rationale, well-rounded, and potent. They are writers, poets, musicians, engineers, programmers, and scientists. They all have hopes of improving the world through medicine or social change, and while that doesn't necessarily imply a beneficial result, their hearts are in the right places, and they have the brains to be able to make their visions possible.
It didn't occur to me until last week how powerful these people could be in their lifetimes. They conduct research in labs, blog their philosophies openly, and work for corporations. Who can know which of these things could get a person noticed? Who can know which of these people will say or do something that will positively change the world on a macro level?
For all their banter and disagreements (which are part of any intellectual process), I'm proud to call these people my friends.
And I just wanted to tell you all thank you. You know who you are. Whether your words or actions are big or small, simply knowing you makes my life better. I have no doubt that those of you who want to will do something great.
The two significant things I've realized are that 1) I have a tendency to find myself surrounded by geniuses, and 2) I've never felt like I've actually known a person without first knowing their stories. I was going to explain both points, but after seeing the length of my entry, I'm only going to talk about the former. I'll save the latter for perhaps another day.
This first realization comes after meeting someone new. He finished high school in two years, went on to tackle one of the most work-intensive majors at the university, and is now attending med school. His brother graduated as an astrophysicist and went on to finish law school, also skipping several years of education. This made me think about the several 20-year olds in grad programs that I'm friends with, the insanely brainy computer and social visionaries I call confidants, and the plethora of others who--though they do not wish to jump through academic hoops--have IQs that are certainly over 120.
And it makes me smile. How did I get so lucky to somehow surround myself with such intelligent people? And they're not just intelligent; in most cases they're additionally charismatic, of sound rationale, well-rounded, and potent. They are writers, poets, musicians, engineers, programmers, and scientists. They all have hopes of improving the world through medicine or social change, and while that doesn't necessarily imply a beneficial result, their hearts are in the right places, and they have the brains to be able to make their visions possible.
It didn't occur to me until last week how powerful these people could be in their lifetimes. They conduct research in labs, blog their philosophies openly, and work for corporations. Who can know which of these things could get a person noticed? Who can know which of these people will say or do something that will positively change the world on a macro level?
For all their banter and disagreements (which are part of any intellectual process), I'm proud to call these people my friends.
And I just wanted to tell you all thank you. You know who you are. Whether your words or actions are big or small, simply knowing you makes my life better. I have no doubt that those of you who want to will do something great.