Dear 2023 Bush Fellowes!
First of all, congratulations, if you like me you may not have realized what a big accomplishment this is. Your record of how you have carried yourself through life, your connections within your community, your vision for the future, and your belief in yourself have led you to this moment.
Bask in it for a moment. It can be uncomfortable to be in the limelight but you are there for a reason. You are there because your light shone brightly without the fellowship, the fellowship will allow you to focus on yourself so that your shine is cast a little further. Someone, a “connection” might find you because of the light the fellowship casts on you. The two of you will shine brighter by coming together and exchanging energy, ideas, and visions.
Be ok with not having your plan completely thought out. As with all journeys of growth, you will make discoveries along the way and you don’t want to be set in stone, be flexible so that you can take advantage of all the opportunities that come your way.
Move slow, all good things take time. Think things through. Make time to really explore yourself, your relationships, your community, and our world. All those things are connected, the breath of one is the exhalation of the other. Life is a tapestry of which you are just one strand and all those around help create the beauty of life. You can’t rush the weaving of a masterpiece.
I hope for you that covid is over and that you get an opportunity to connect with your fellow Fellows! I have missed that. I know that our cohort is amazing, I see their posts but it’s not the same as the human connection, so if possible, find an opportunity to share space with them.
Finally, enjoy your journey, this is an exciting time for you. I would suggest keeping a journal I have and I am almost halfway through my fellowship and I see a change in me and I see where I have stalled, I see what I have accomplished and changed my course a bit, I have done things I would never have expected or dreamed of doing and I might not be able to reflect on all that if not for the practice of journaling. In fact, I have kept separate journals for each of my goals. When you’re doing a lot life can get muddled, and journaling lends a clarity that isn’t otherwise possible.

Take a deep breath, hold it in for a moment, exhale slowly, and take the first step.